10,000 Skagit County COVID-19 cases

COVID-19 milestones, including grave markers, were passed in Skagit County in the last three weeks. September ended with 100 people in Skagit County hospitals from the coronavirus that month. Skagit Public Health reported that Oct. 9 the “county surpassed a cumulative total of 10,000 COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic. The day prior- Oct. 8- Skagit County reported its 100th death due to the virus,” its press release stated. Last week, Oct. 11-15, five more residents died, raising the death toll to 105.

One percent of infected county residents have died from the coronavirus.

Jennifer Johnson, Skagit County Public Health director addressed the death total: “This is an upsetting milestone for the County. These numbers represent people. Our residents - families, friends and neighbors – have dealt with so much over these past 20 months, with loved ones getting sick and battling this awful virus. We want to encourage people to continue to do their part to curb the spread of COVID-19, to mask up and get vaccinated as soon as possible.”

The rate of infection on a 100,000 residents per 14 days has dropped from 666 through Oct. 12 to 480 per 100,000 residents through Oct. 14, based on state Department of Health data. That is a large decline, but the raw weekly numbers reveal the reality that county residents are still transmitting the virus and becoming infected and very sick in high numbers.

For Oct. 11-15, 417 new infections were reported, 22 people were hospitalized and five people died. For Oct. 4-15, 804 new coronavirus cases were totaled, with 44 new hospitalizations and seven deaths. The positive tests are both the antigen and PCR tests.

The county health department is reminding residents that cold weather brings people inside and that “the risk mitigation strategies that people have been using since the beginning of the pandemic continue to be the best course of action: mask up when in crowded indoor and outdoor locations, get tested when feeling sick or when notified of recent COVID-19 exposure and stay at home when ill with COVID-like symptoms.”

The number of total confirmed cases since early 2020 in the La Conner zip code area is between 250-259 through Oct. 14.