The Star - News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

The COVID-19 virus is still very much around, although in local counties the incidence rate is down slightly, while the state as a whole has seen a rise in the rate. 

Grant County Health District reported its 25th death from the disease on Tuesday, of a Quincy man in his 50s with underlying health conditions.

They also published on Monday a graphic of an "event cluster" that ended up infecting 39 people, including the "index" first case of someone who attended a public gathering. It spread from there among household members, to fellow workers, church and choir members, and other social gatherings.

As of Oct. 27:

Okanogan County has had 1,139 total cases, including 13 deaths.There have been 15 cases in Coulee Dam, five in Elmer City, and 29 in Nespelem. The county has had 16 new cases in the past 14 days, making for an incidence rate of 37.4, roughly the same as it was three weeks ago on Oct. 6 when it was 39.8.

Grant County's had 3,523 total cases; 25 deaths; 13 cases in the Grand Coulee Dam area, 8 in Coulee City; and has had 218 new cases in the previous 14 days, making for an incidence rate of 220.8, down from 279.5 on Oct. 6.

Lincoln County had 76 total cases, including two deaths, and has had five new cases in the previous 14 days, making for an incidence rate of 45.6, down from 100.4 on Oct. 6. 

Douglas County had 1,328 total cases, including seven deaths; 49 new cases in the past 14 days; an incidence rate of 112.8, down from 126.6 on Sept. 29.

Washington state as a whole has seen 104,027 total cases, including 2,337 deaths; 8,412 cases in the past 14 days; an incidence rate of 111.5, up from 79 on Oct. 6. 

Sources: Washington State Department of Health, Washington State Coronavirus Response, Grant County Health District, and Okanogan Public Health, Lincoln County Health Dept., Chelan-Douglas Health District.

Grant County Health District published this graphic Monday detailing the spread of COVID-19 from an event cluster that reached 39 people, including the first "index" case.

From their website:

"This graphic shows just how much COVID-19 can spread when given the chance. The index case is the case with the earliest symptom onset date as reported to GCHD and was not the first case of this cluster reported to GCHD. This index case, with the help of some gatherings, led to 38 additional known cases. We know not everyone who was a close contact of these cases got tested, even if they were symptomatic, so there are likely additional, unconfirmed cases related to these events. Not only were there more than 30 cases linked to the original gathering, but there were 3 people that were hospitalized due to COVID-19, one of whom never attended the original event. There are at least 4 confirmed cases in another county related to this cluster.

Please use all known precautions when getting together with others: wear a face covering, use physical distancing of 6 feet, stay home if you feel sick. You may prevent your friends, family, and acquaintances from getting sick or ending up in the hospital. You may even save people you don't know from this illness and the severe consequences that can come from it.