LA GRANDE — Union County is in the midst of an explosion of COVID-19 as the Center for Human Development on Monday afternoon announced 99 new cases.

The spike puts the county at 123 cases — 121 confirmed and two presumptive — and moves Union County near the top of the state in cases per capita.

The center in a press release stated 365 tests were conducted over the weekend, and the 99 new cases are what has been “identified so far.”

“This announcement raises a lot of different feelings,” Carrie Brogoitti, public health administrator at the center, said in the press release. “For me, it raises concern. For others it may raise fear, anxiety, anger, uncertainty and even skepticism. All of those emotions make sense when we have a new disease. I think we all care about our community. I hope that, as a community, we come together to protect each other.”

Union County as of a week ago had just six confirmed cases of COVID-19, but added single cases Tuesday and Wednesday, then had five more cases Thursday. The county sat at 22 after Saturday.

All but five of the cases are considered active. To date, nobody in Union County has died from COVID-19.

The press release stated several of the cases are associated with Lighthouse Pentecostal Church, Island City, which recently hosted a testing clinic.

“Local public health officials expressed appreciation to the congregation for hosting testing onsite,” according to the press release, “and underscored that the results confirm the presence of COVID-19 in the community.

The center also noted the county recently entered phase two of reopening and “recent holidays, celebrations and community events may further complicate the investigation.”

Brogoitti said the cases are not coming from just one source.

“Many of the recent positive cases are touching various areas of our community and are not confined to one location,” she said.

CHD reported it is working to contact individuals who may have come in close contact — within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes — with one of the patients.

“If you are identified through this investigation as someone that may be at risk for COVID-19 public health will contact you,” the release states. “CHD Public Health staff are making calls now. Some of these calls may look like they come from an unknown number. If you don’t answer, they will leave a message. Please call them back as soon as you can.”

This is a developing story, which The Observer will update.