La Conner Weekly News - Your independent hometown award-winning newspaper

New reported coronavirus cases in Skagit County dropped dramatically in August, to 578, 55.7% of July’s 1,078 reported cases. Fewer cases were reported weekly, from 148 infections Aug. 1-7 to 105 new cases Aug. 22-28. While not all people infected get tested or report results, only 27 people were hospitalized in the county’s three hospitals last month. There were two deaths the entire month, both Aug. 1.

Hospitalizations for COVID-19 were declining at month’s end. After 21 the first three weeks, with 10 of those Aug. 15-21, there were six new hospitalizations the last 10 days. At the end of July, 41 people were hospitalized with COVID-19.

For August, the Washington state Department of Health listed Skagit County’s 7-day case rate the last week at 102 cases per 100,000, down from 145 cases per 100,000 people the last week of July, a 30% drop.

The federal Centers for Disease Control reported different data, rating Skagit County low for the COVID-19 Community Level Aug. 31, with a case rate of 79.7 for the weekly metric.

The county’s 7-Day Case Rate declined dramatically, from 113.4 Aug. 1-7 to 68.2 Aug. 25-31, state data show.

Washington has 111 new coronavirus infections per 100,000 people the week ending Aug. 31. Skagit County is one of 20, of the state’s 39 counties, with 7 day case rates above 100 per 100,000 people, the state health department reports.

In the region, only Snohomish County is reporting higher 7 day case rates, at 125 per 100,000. For that metric last week, Whatcom County had 96.1 new cases, Island County 73.7 new cases and San Juan County 28.8 new cases.

Skagit County Public Health has not offered a new update since June 22, having announced a bi-monthly schedule..

COVID-19 prime, pediatric and booster vaccinations are available at the downtown Mount Vernon Skagit Public Health office, 700 South Second Street. The clinic is open Wednesdays-Fridays 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2-4 p.m.

Make appointments at skagitcounty.net/COVIDvaccine or call 360-416-1500. Walking-in is an option.