On Tuesday, the Kitsap Public Health District confirmed 44 new COVID cases in the previous 24 hours, bringing the countywide total to 17,367 since the pandemic began in March of 2020.

Of the new cases, North Kitsap had six and Bainbridge Island one; 20 were in South Kitsap, 11 in Bremerton and six in Central Kitsap.

Over the last week, the county’s case rate per 100,000 residents has dropped to 93.4. A total of 201 cases are in their recommended “isolation period” (10 days after first symptoms.) To date, the number of Kitsap County residents who have initiated vaccination is 66%.

Of the 17,367 total cases, 624 have been reported on Bainbridge Island, 4,640 in Bremerton, 3,828 in Central Kitsap, 2,705 in North Kitsap and 5,564 in South Kitsap. Six cases have come from “unknown” areas of the county.

There have been 237 COVID-related deaths since the pandemic began and 191 since the start of the new year. Of the deaths, 95 were ages 80 and older, 57 ages 70-79, 46 ages 60-69, 27 ages 50-59, eight ages 40-49 and four ages 30-39.