An NPR member station
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Health Officials Work With Spokane Universities To Avoid WSU-Like Covid Surge

Courtesy of Gonzaga University

Whitman County public health authorities today [Monday] reported one new Covid case. This comes after a weekend in which a two-day flurry produced 69 new cases, all of them in the age group that indicate college students or other young adults.

Spokane County Health Officer Bob Lutz says he's working with leaders of the Spokane-based institutions to help them avoid what has happened at Washington State University’s Pullman campus.

He says his office has been working closely with leaders at the local colleges and universities to identify testing and contact tracing options.

“They’re very sensitive to the politics, if you will, and the visibility of opening to in-person instruction, given what we’re already seeing nationally," Lutz said. "So they are doing a lot of outreach, a lot of really working with their students and their students’ parents to emphasize to them the civic responsibilities to them by coming back to Spokane.”

He says Gonzaga and Whitworth have set aside dormitories as isolation facilities in case students test positive for the virus.

Classes began today at WSU, North Idaho College and the University of Idaho.