COVID-19 update: North Central Region remains in Phase One

With case counts rising and hospitalizations of patients with COVID-19 shooting up, the North Central Region of Washington remains in Phase One of the two-phase Healthy Washington — Roadmap to Recovery plan for handling the COVID-19 pandemic, while the Puget Sound and West regions both moved to Phase Two.

Grant, Okanogan, Douglas, and Chelan counties are grouped into the North Central Region, which currently only meets one of the four requirements to move to Phase Two, which has less stringent restrictions on individuals, businesses, and schools.

From Jan. 3-16, the North Central Region showed a Covid incidence rate of 525.3 cases per 100,000 residents, a 2% drop from the two weeks prior, but not meeting the 10% drop requirement to move to Phase Two.

The state as a whole has an incidence rate of 427.4, a 9% increase from the two weeks prior. 

The hospital admission rate in the North Central Region during Jan. 10-23 shows a 41% increase from the two weeks prior, not meeting the 10% drop requirement to move to Phase Two. That compares to a 12% drop statewide.

From Jan. 17-23, the region shows an intensive care unit occupancy of 84%, meeting the under 90% requirement to move to Phase Two, and compares to the 80% ICU occupancy statewide.

From Jan. 3-9, the region has had a 14% Covid test positivity rate, not meeting the less than 10% requirement to move to phase two, with the state as a whole having a 10% test positivity rate.

The data come from the Washington Disease Reporting System, WA HEALTH, and the Washington State Department of Health, using the most recent complete data for each metric.