PORT ANGELES – Although researchers say the Seattle area is peaking for COVID-19, local authorities say they’re still preparing for a later peak of cases on the north Olympic Peninsula.

At a daily emergency response briefing Tuesday, Clallam Undersheriff Ron Cameron said he’s concerned people will let up on social distancing as they hear about cases across Washington drop.

“I really think we’re in a dangerous time because we keep watching the news, and on the federal level they’re talking about Seattle peaking and when people see that they’re thinking that we’re at the top and now it’s going to start fading and ‘I can kind of relax now’. That’s not the case specially for our area.”

Cameron says health officials feel Clallam County may be about two weeks behind the greater Puget Sound area.

“Dr. Unthank says we’re at least two weeks behind those major centers that have experienced it. So we haven’t seen our peak yet. Where there’s talk about the middle of April for Seattle and King County area, doc is thinking more like maybe the end of the month for us. So, we need to keep our foot on the gas and keep that social distancing and all those things that we’ve been talking about for over a month now and washing hands and staying home. “

Clallam County added another positive COVID-19 case. There are now nine confirmed cases in the county. Before the latest case, Clallam County went more than a week without a new positive test result. Clallam County has now tested 524 people and there are 30 tests pending.