News & Information
COVID-19 Testing Results Update for Kitsap County as of 11 a.m. on July 18
COVID-19 on a path to runaway growth in Washington
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) released the latest statewide situation report yesterday, which highlights alarming trends in transmission and hospitalization data.
Report findings include:
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The spread of COVID-19 continues to accelerate across most of Washington state as of the start of July. The reproductive number (the estimated number of new people each COVID-19 patient will infect) is still well above one in both eastern and western Washington, with the exception of Yakima County. The goal is a reproductive number below one, which would mean the number of people getting COVID-19 is declining.
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In Yakima County, the encouraging signs highlighted in previous reports appear to be plateauing. The reproductive number in Yakima County is estimated to be close to one. However, the test positive rate (the proportion of people who test positive) remains high. To maintain this progress, the county must continue to strictly follow mask and distancing policies.
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Changing our behavior makes a difference. The report contrasts the sharp turnaround in Yakima County—where recent efforts to control the virus resulted in increased use of face masks and distancing—with the exponential and accelerating growth of cases in Spokane County.
- The level of daily new cases is higher than the state’s previous peak in March.
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Recent growth in cases among 20-29 year olds is spreading into all age groups. This includes low but increasing rates among children and teens. It reflects the age breakdown among new infections in Florida just one month ago, which have since spread broadly into younger and older age groups.
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Hospitalization rates are rising throughout the state. In eastern Washington, hospitalizations continue to increase across all age groups. In western Washington, these rates are just starting to increase, led by hospitalizations among 20-39 year olds. As case counts once again grow among older and more vulnerable people, hospitalizations are likely to continue trending up.
To read the full statement, click here. For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit the Department of Health's dashboard and the state’s COVID-19 risk assessment dashboard.
To learn more about the spread of COVID-19 in Kitsap County, visit the Kitsap Public Health District Risk Assessment Dashboard.
Take steps to protect your health before you head out
The warm weather provides tempting opportunities to socialize. But prospects for a safe reopening this fall are looking dim as COVID-19 makes a comeback in Washington. Health experts say unsafe social gatherings are contributing to the spread.
Staying home is still safest but if you do go out, stay close to home, wear your face covering and keep six feet of distance between you and others. Limit the number of people you interact with. Avoid large groups of people or crowded spaces.
Think ahead to protect your health and the health of others. We can beat the virus if we all do our part.
Find more tips here.
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