Local COVID stats in flux

The rate of COVID-19 cases has gone down in the state of Washington, and in Grant and Douglas counties, but has gone slightly up in Okanogan and Lincoln counties over the last week.

Counties need an incidence rate of 25 cases or fewer per population of 100,000 in the past 14 days to move forward a phase in the Washington Safe Start Recovery plan. And to partially open in-person schooling, that rate must not exceed 75.

Here are the latest data for COVID-19 in Grant, Okanogan, Lincoln, and Douglas (GOLD) counties.

As of Sept. 29, Okanogan County had 1,067 total cases, including 13 deaths.There have been 10 cases in Coulee Dam, five in Elmer City, and 20 in Nespelem. The county has had 12 new cases in the past 14 days, making for an incidence rate of 28.1, up from 21.1 since Sept. 22. 

Okanogan County’s incidence rate is meeting a requirement for schools, such as Lake Roosevelt, to allow partial in-person learning.

Grant County had 3,099 total cases; 20 deaths; seven cases in the Grand Coulee Dam area; and as of Sept. 28 has had 293 new cases in the previous 14 days, making for an incidence rate of 296.7, down from 404.1 on Sept. 17.

Lincoln County had had 51 total cases, including one death, and as of Sept. 28 saw eight new cases in the previous 14 days, making for an incidence rate of 73, up from 56 on Sept. 17 and zero on Sept. 8.

Douglas County had 1,306 total cases, including seven deaths; 55 new cases in the past 14 days; an incidence rate of 126.6, down from 147.4 Sept. 22.

Washington state as a whole has seen 87,042 total cases, including  2,124 deaths; 5,184 cases in the past 14 days; an incidence rate of 68.7, down from 81.3 on Sept. 17. 

Sources: Washington State Department of Health, Washington State Coronavirus Response, Grant County Health District, and Okanogan Public Health, Lincoln County Health Dept., Chelan-Douglas Health District.