GRANT COUNTY - Grant County will not be applying to move into Phase 3 of reopening its economy this weekend due to a surge in cases of the novel coronavirus in recent weeks, according to officials with the county health district.

“Our health officer is not recommending that,” health district administrator Theresa Adkinson said at a Thursday press briefing. “It wouldn’t be considered by the Department of Health.” Fifty-eight cases have been reported between Wednesday, June 10, and Wednesday, May 27, significantly more than the 25 cases per 100,000 people in the state guidelines. The cases aren’t contained to a few locations, either, complicating the case the county would have to make to the state, Adkinson said.

“We can build a case, if we have our cases isolated, if these surges were associated with one location, you can work with the state to say we have this situation managed,” Adkinson said. “In this situation, that is not the case.”

Adkinson said that the county is currently meeting the other metrics set out by the state, including the availability of personal protective equipment, hospital readiness if there were a surge of COVID-19 patients, and the district’s ability to respond to new cases in a timely manner.

However, until the number of new cases decreases or outbreaks become more contained, the county will not be able to successfully apply for Phase 3, she added.