Health Care

County resident living in Salt Lake City area tests positive for COVID-19 virus

The first San Juan County resident to test positive for COVID-19 has been diagnosed in the Salt Lake Valley. San Juan Public Health Department (SJPH) said the individual has been staying in the Salt Lake Valley for some period of time and does not plan to return to San Juan County until after the...

San Juan County declares public health emergency

San Juan County has declared a Public Health State of Emergency due to the COVID-19 coronavirus. Officials state that the designation is a preventive move intended to protect vulnerable populations in the community, such as the elderly, and persons with underlying health conditions. The official...

Local schools dismissed for two weeks

Beginning March 16, schools in the San Juan School District will be under a “soft closure” for the following two weeks as part of a massive public health response to slow the spread of coronavirus. San Juan School District Superintendent Ron Nielson called the action a “school dismissal” but added...

Two local residents return from China, being monitored for coronavirus

Two San Juan County residents are currently being “actively monitored” after returning from areas of China where the coronavirus is actively spreading. Officials state that the two local residents are not infected with the virus, but are being monitored due to their potential exposure to the virus...

2020 San Juan County New Year’s Baby born at San Juan Hospital

Weston Duke Whipple wasted little time in his rush to be the 2020 New Year’s Baby for San Juan County. The son of Aunika Hunter and Dustin Whipple was delivered by Dr. Michael Nielson at 6:17 a.m. on New Year’s Day. The delivery was at San Juan Hospital in Monticello. Weston weighs in at six pounds...

Tuberculosis in the Wild West

You probably don’t think about Tuberculosis all that often. You probably don’t think about San Juan County all that often either. Out of site is out of mind, so they say. I never thought much about San Juan County until I brought my family here a few years ago. Even for a guy who grew up in...

Spanish Valley health clinic to be built

The San Juan Health Service District plans to build a new rural health clinic in Spanish Valley. The district has purchased land and secured funding for the $6.4 million facility, which will be constructed on what is set to become one of the main intersections in the growing community. The...

San Juan Hospital to celebrate National Hospital Week May 12-18

San Juan Hospital will celebrate National Hospital Week with special events and recognitions throughout the week of May 12-18. The theme of the 2019 event is “Celebrating Health and Healing.” According to San Juan Hospital CFO Farley Crofts, the hospital has participated in the annual celebration...

Physician provides healthcare options for local veterans

by Rhett Sifford For many years, military veterans in San Juan County haven’t had many options for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare for which they qualify. The 170-mile distance to the VA Medical Center in Grand Junction, CO was relieved slightly when the Moab VA...

2019 New Year's Baby

Kyla and Jonathan Brewer celebrated the birth of their son Allen Paul Brewer Jan. 3, 2019, at 4:09 a.m. at the San Juan Hospital in Monticello. Allen is the 2019 San Juan County New Year’s baby. Courtesy photo