On Monday, the Kitsap Public Health District confirmed another COVID-19 related death, bringing the countywide total of virus-associated fatalities to 34 since March.

Details on the most recent death have not yet been made available. Of the 33 previous deaths, all of the community members had underlying health conditions with a large majority over the age of 65.

Additionally, the health district confirmed 40 new cases of COVID in Kitsap County, bringing the total number of cases to 3,465 since the pandemic began in March.

Of the new cases, four are in North Kitsap and none on Bainbridge Island.

Over the past two weeks, Kitsap County’s positive case rate per 100,000 residents is 198, meaning the county is well over a “high level” of COVID-19 activity, per state guidelines, with a case rate above 75 over the previous 14 days.

A total of 168 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.) 925 “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.)

Of the 3,465 total cases, 157 have been reported on Bainbridge Island, 837 in Bremerton, 836 in Central Kitsap, 603 in North Kitsap and 1,032 in South Kitsap.

Due to a high volume of testing at the state Department of Health, the total number of negative tests along with the percentage of positive tests over the last 14 days are not available.

Based on contact tracing work, the district believes the spread among families and households was a key driver of recent case increases. To prevent spreading it is important for all members of a household to stay home and avoid contact with others if any member of their household has symptoms.