On Wednesday, the Kitsap Public Health District confirmed an additional COVID-related death, bringing the countywide total to 105 since the pandemic began in March of 2020 and 58 since the start of the new year.
Information on the two most recent deaths was not available before press time. Of the 103 prior deaths, 53 were community members 80 and older, 28 ages 70-79, 12 ages 60-69, four ages 50-59, three ages 40-49, and two ages 30-39. The first 43 people who died all had underlying health conditions, but the district quit releasing that information.
Additionally, the health district confirmed 56 new positive cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the countywide total to 7,472 since the pandemic began.
Of the new cases, North Kitsap had 10, and Bainbridge Island none. South Kitsap had the most with 19.
A total of 339 cases were considered in “isolation” by the health district, meaning they are “confirmed or probable COVID-19 cases who are in their recommended isolation period” (10 days after first symptoms.) 237 “total close contacts in quarantine” were also confirmed in Kitsap, meaning they are “residents who were determined to be close contacts of confirmed cases and are in their recommended quarantine period” (14 days after last contact with case).
Over the past two weeks, the county’s positive case rate per 100,000 residents has gone back up to 214.9, meaning the county is once again at a “high level” of coronavirus activity – per state guidelines that means any positive case rate 75 and above.
In the health district’s weekly COVID-19 newsletter, it states that Kitsap County is at risk of being moved back to Phase 2 as cases increase. A move back to Phase 2 would mean tighter restrictions on gatherings, indoor dining and retail, sports and entertainment, and other activities. The state is expected to announce phase changes next week.
To date, the number of vaccine doses given by Kitsap facilities is 186,743, and the rate of positive tests over the last seven days is 8.1 percent.
Of the 7,472 total cases, 297 have been reported on Bainbridge Island, 1,974 in Bremerton, 1,738 in Central Kitsap, 1,144 in North Kitsap and 2,319 in South Kitsap.
