This illustration provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in January 2020 shows the 2019 Novel Coronavirus. This virus was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China. [CDC]

OKANOGAN – The Okanogan County 14-day COVID-19 incidence rate continues a slow climb in October and is now 37.4 cases per 100,000 in population.

In the latest update on the virus, there was only one new case of people testing positive for COVID-19 on Oct. 7, according to Okanogan County Health’s report on Thursday, Oct. 8. The total number of people who have tested positive in the county since testing began is now 1091, up 12 since the Monday, Oct. 5 report. The death toll from the disease in Okanogan County remains at 13.

The two-week incident rate of 37.4 people per 100,000, is up 2.3 from Monday’s report of 35.1 per 100,000 and 11.7 from last week’s report of 25.7 per 100,000. The current incident rate is about 16 infections per capita, based on the county’s estimated 2020 population of 42,600.

The most recent positive test occurred in an Omak resident, according to Public Health’s report. Brewster, where eight deaths have occurred from COVID-19 since the pandemic started, has a cumulative case count of 601. It remains the hot spot in the county. The next highest, is Omak, with 174 positive tests, followed by Okanogan, 61; Tonasket, 56; Oroville, 50; Pateros, 49; Nespelem, 26; Malott, 23; Coulee Dam, 13; Riverside, nine; Winthrop, six; Elmer City and Unidentified, five each; Carlton, four; Twisp, three and Loomis, two. Beside the eight deaths in Brewster, there has been one death each in the towns of Malott, Okanogan, Omak, Oroville and Pateros.