COVID cases soar in local counties

COVID rates are up across the map in local counties.

As of Nov. 30, Grant County had reported 5,019 total cases, including 36 deaths. There have been 21 cases in the Grand Coulee Dam area, 18 in the Coulee City area. The county has had 1,060 cases in the prior 14 days for an incidence rate of 1,085, up from 565 on Nov. 17. Grant County Health said in a Facebook post Tuesday night that rate may be starting to trend downward, but it was too early to tell if that was due to a Thanksgiving lag in testing. 

The incidence goal is 25 or fewer cases per 100,000 population. All local counties are seeing rates in the multiple hundreds, as is the state as a whole.

As of Dec. 1:

Okanogan County has reported more than 1,343 total cases, with 26 deaths, including a breakout in Tonasket reported Monday. There have been 19 cases in Coulee Dam, five in Elmer City, and 37 in Nespelem. The county has had 108 new cases in the past 14 days, not including the Tonasket breakout, making for an incidence rate of 252.8, up from 51.5 Nov. 17. 

Lincoln County has seen a total of 174 cases, including four deaths. There have been 64 cases reported in the past 14 days, making for a two-week incidence rate of 583.9, up from 363 on Nov. 17.

Douglas County has reported 2,010 total cases, including seven deaths; 333 new cases in the past 14 days; an incidence rate of 766.8, up from 545.7 on Nov. 17.

Washington state as a whole has seen 167,216 total cases, including 2,805 deaths; 31,654 cases in the past 14 days; an incidence rate of 419.5, more than double the 199.2 rate from Nov. 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.