On Wednesday, the Kitsap Public Health District confirmed 21 new positive cases of COVID-19 in the previous 24 hours, bringing the countywide total to 8,570 since the pandemic began in March of 2020.

Of the new cases, North Kitsap had three and Bainbridge Island one. Bremerton had the most with nine.

A total of 108 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.) 134 “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 dropped to 74.9, which is just below the “high level” of coronavirus activity — per state guidelines that means any rate 75 and above.

To date, the number of Kitsap County residents 16 and older who have initiated vaccination is 54.2%, and the rate of positive tests over the last seven days is 3.6%.

Of the 8,570 total cases, 299 have been reported on Bainbridge Island, 2,290 in Bremerton, 1,977 in Central Kitsap, 1,294 in North Kitsap and 2,710 in South Kitsap.

There have been 112 COVID-related deaths in Kitsap since the pandemic began and 65 since the start of the new year. Details on the most recent death were unavailable before press time. Of the 111 prior deaths, 54 were community members 80 and older, 28 ages 70-79, 17 ages 60-69, six ages 50-59, three ages 40-49, two ages 30-39, and one ages 0-19. The first 43 people who died all had underlying health conditions, but the district quit releasing that information.