On Wednesday, the Kitsap Public Health District confirmed 53 new positive cases of COVID-19 in the previous 24 hours, bringing the countywide total to 7,079 since the pandemic began in March of 2020.

Of the new cases, North Kitsap had nine and Bainbridge Island zero. South Kitsap had 19.

A total of 263 cases were considered in “isolation” by the health district, meaning they are “confirmed or probable COVID-19 cases who are in their recommended isolation period” (10 days after first symptoms.) 256 “total close contacts in quarantine” were also confirmed in Kitsap, meaning they are “residents who were determined to be close contacts of confirmed cases and are in their recommended quarantine period” (14 days after last contact with case).

Over the past two weeks, the county’s positive case rate per 100,000 residents has gone back up to 172.3, meaning the county is once again at a “high level” of coronavirus activity – per state guidelines that means any positive case rate 75 and above.

To date, the number of vaccine doses given by Kitsap facilities is 170,314, and the rate of positive tests over the last seven days is 8 percent.

Of the 7,079 total cases, 290 have been reported on Bainbridge Island, 1,852 in Bremerton, 1,644 in Central Kitsap, 1,106 in North Kitsap and 2,187 in South Kitsap.

There have been 103 COVID-related deaths in Kitsap, including 56 since the new year began. Of the deaths, 53 were community members 80 and older, 28 ages 70-79, 12 ages 60-69, four ages 50-59, three ages 40-49, and two ages 30-39. The health district didn’t list how many had other health conditions, but earlier reported the first 43 people who died all had underlying health conditions.

“Each COVID-19 death reported is tragic and preventable,” Health Officer Dr. Gib Morrow said in a news release. “We have all the tools we need to slow the spread of this virus and spare more Kitsap families from enduring the grief of losing a loved one.”