On Wednesday, the Kitsap Public Health District confirmed 64 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the countywide total of positive tests to 2,593 since March.

South Kitsap had 26, while North Kitsap and Bainbridge Island each had 5.

KPHD and hospital officials are urging action to prevent strain on the healthcare system.

“There is very real potential for our hospitals and clinics to become overwhelmed in coming weeks and months unless we take decisive action as individuals and as a community to slow the spread of COVID-19 and other viruses,” district health officer Dr. Gib Morrow said.

There have been 27 COVID-19 related deaths in the county since March, including two last week. According to the health district, all of the fatalities have been from individuals with underlying health conditions, the large majority over age 65.

Over the past two weeks, Kitsap County’s positive case rate per 100,000 residents is 174.1, meaning the county is at a “high level” of COVID-19 activity, per state guidelines, with a case rate above 75 over the previous 14 days.

Due to a high volume of testing at the state Department of Health, the total number of negative tests along with the percentage of positive tests over the last 14 days are not available.

A total of 141 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.) 737 “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.)

Of the 2,593 total cases, 122 have been reported on Bainbridge Island, 655 in Bremerton, 652 in Central Kitsap, 419 in North Kitsap and 745 in South Kitsap.

Based on contact tracing work, the district believes the spread among families and households was a key driver of recent case increases. To prevent spreading it is important for all members of a household to stay home and avoid contact with others if any member of their household has symptoms. Cases have increased across all age ranges, but during a four-week period ending Oct. 31, the rate of new cases reported among children 18 and younger jumped to its highest level to date.