Drop in county COVID-19 continues

The dramatic February decline in new coronavirus infections in Skagit County continues. After recording 768 cases in January, 211 people have tested positive Feb. 1-22, with over half, 107, the first seven days. Each succeeding week has had half the number of infections of that first week reported, 47 Feb. 8-14 and 57 Feb. 15-22, as listed on the Skagit Public Health website. These are total cases, not on a per 100,000 residents basis.

Nine people have died in February, 15% of total deaths since record keeping started. Nineteen people have died since Jan. 1, 32% of all deaths. Hospitalizations continue to increase, with 24 the past three weeks and 63 in 2021.

Two people tested positive for COVID-19 in the 98257 zip code since Feb. 15, bringing to 74 the total number of cases in that area since reporting started in 2020.

It is too early to know if there is a post-Super Bowl Skagit County surge in new cases.

Skagit County residents, like everyone in the state under Phase 2 restrictions, are able to dine inside, work out at gyms and go to museums and theatres at still proscribed capacities. For restaurants, it is 25% of maximum capacity.

The Washington Department of Health will provide a two week update of the status of state’s regions in meeting three of four metrics Feb. 26 to stay in Phase 2 of the Healthy Washington – Roadmap to Recovery Plan. These are a decreasing or flat trend in 14-day rate of new COVID-19 cases per 100K population; decreasing or flat trend in 14-day rate of new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100K population; average 7-day percent occupancy of ICU staffed beds less than 90%; and 7-day percent positivity of COVID-19 tests less than 10%. Maintaining a flat trend in new cases and lowering hospitalizations are the two most difficult metrics to meet.

The North Region consists of Skagit, Island, San Juan and Whatcom counties.

The Department has not placed the Jan. 29-Feb 11 report aggregating second half of January data on its website.