On Tuesday, the Kitsap Public Health District confirmed three additional COVID-related deaths, bringing the countywide total to 244 since the pandemic began in March of 2020 and 198 since the start of the new year.

Details on the seven most-recent deaths have not yet been provided by the health district. Of the 237 prior deaths, 95 were ages 80 and older, 57 ages 70-79, 46 ages 60-69, 27 ages 50-59, eight ages 40-49 and four ages 30-39.

Additionally, 28 new COVID cases were confirmed in the previous 24 hours, bringing the countywide total to 17,684 since the pandemic began.

Of the new cases, North Kitsap had three and Bainbridge Island two; 11 were in South Kitsap, eight in Bremerton and five in Central Kitsap.

Over the last week, the county’s case rate per 100,000 residents is 111.4. A total of 189 cases are in their recommended “isolation period” (10 days after first symptoms.) To date, the number of Kitsap County residents who have initiated vaccination is 66.7%.

Of the 17,684 total cases, 633 have been reported on Bainbridge Island, 4,733 in Bremerton, 3,893 in Central Kitsap, 2,745 in North Kitsap and 5,674 in South Kitsap. Six cases have come from “unknown” areas of the county.