Okanogan County has recorded 23 new COVID cases in the week ending July 26. Two of the infections were in Twisp, and one each in Winthrop, Carlton and Methow. Last week the county recorded just 15 cases.
The infection rate has remained fairly stable, from about 70 to 80 per 100,000 population. The infection rate is now 138 for unvaccinated people, and 15 for vaccinated individuals.
After a plateau in June, cases started increasing across the state in July, according to the Washington Department of Health (DOH).
Hospitalizations flattened in all age groups at the end of June, but have begun rising again, particularly among people ages 40 to 49 and 70 to 79. Recent hospital daily reports showed admissions increasing in all adult age groups in the week ending July 18, DOH said.
The delta variant, which is more contagious, is now the dominant strain in Washington. Fifty-eight percent of cases sequenced from June 20 through July 3 were the delta variant. Disease models estimate that the variant now accounts for 92% of all COVID infections in the state, DOH said.
