On Wednesday, the Kitsap Public Health District confirmed three new COVID-related deaths, bringing the countywide total 156 since the pandemic began in March of 2020 and 110 since the start of the new year.

Information on the 12 most recent deaths has not yet been provided by the health district. Of the prior 143 deaths, 64 were ages 80 and older, 34 ages 70-79, 25 ages 60-69, 14 ages 50-59, four ages 40-49 and two ages 30-39.

Additionally, 126 new COVID cases were confirmed in the past 24 hours, bringing the countywide total to 13,603 since the pandemic began.

Of the new cases, North Kitsap had 21 and Bainbridge Island three; 41 were in South Kitsap, 41 in Bremerton and 19 in Central Kitsap. One new case came from an undetermined area. The health district noted an active outbreak of 22 cases at the Madrona House on Bainbridge Island, an assisted living facility. Outbreaks are listed as “active” if an associated case has been identified in the past 28 days.

A total of 1,004 cases are in their recommended “isolation period” (10 days after first symptoms.) 263 “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 week, the county’s positive case rate per 100,000 residents is 279.2, which is way above the “high level” of coronavirus activity — per state guidelines that means any rate 37.5 and above.

To date, the number of Kitsap County residents ages 12 and older who have initiated vaccination is 70.4%.

Of the 13,603 total cases, 492 have been reported on Bainbridge Island, 3,671 in Bremerton, 3,099 in Central Kitsap, 2,037 in North Kitsap and 4,299 in South Kitsap.