Douglas County’s commissioners on Tuesday approved the use of $3 million in federal coronavirus aid for testing and contact tracing as the county, like Colorado generally, has seen an elevated number of cases.

“Actions do speak louder than words as we demonstrate with today’s decisions that the continuity of public health services delivery to our citizens and business community is firmly in place with Tri-County Health, as we work collaboratively to contain transmission of COVID-19 and maintain other public health services,” said Commissioner Abe Laydon.

The $1.8 trillion CARES Act, which Congress passed in March, provided the funding. There were two separate agreements for the county: a $1.9 million expenditure for contact tracing in conjunction with Tri-County Health Department and $1.1 million for a mobile testing unit through STRIDE Community Health Center.

The mobile unit, which will deploy on Sept. 1, will feature diagnostic and antibody testing for people regardless of their insurance coverage or lack of it.

According to data from Tri-County, Douglas County’s COVID-19 cases began to increase around June 9. The jurisdiction experienced its most recent coronavirus deaths on July 18, and while cases reached their daily high of 53 earlier in July, diagnosed infections have more recently hovered around 30 per day.