OKANOGAN – Okanogan County Public Health reports ten more county residents have died of COVID-19, bringing the total number of fatalities associated with the virus to 63.

“Okanogan County Public Health is deeply saddened to report ten additional Okanogan County residents who died of confirmed COVID-19 disease. We extend our condolences to the family and community members who were close to them,” said the agency in a press release Oct. 14.

These deaths occurred in early October 2021 and two of the 10 residents were fully vaccinated, according to the agency.

The Washington State Department of Health defines a COVID-19 death as a death occurring among those who have a positive COVID-19 test and the death certificate must also include COVID-19 or COVID-like terms (such as respiratory distress, pneumonia, respiratory failure, hypoxia, viral illness, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS – with no other strain specified) as a cause or contributing factor to the death. It does not include those who die in a homicide, suicide, or accident, with the exception of accidental deaths that explicitly list COVID-19 on the death certificate.

Okanogan County Public Health would like to remind everyone of the importance of all public health precautions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Anyone can have COVID-19 and not know they are contagious. COVID-19 is easily spread to close contacts, friends, family and loved ones before a person knows they are unintentionally spreading the virus. Please do your part to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by continuing to social distance and wearing a mask in indoor public spaces,” said Public Health.

Okanogan County Public Health delays the announcement of COVID-19 associated deaths to give families time to notify their loved ones. All deaths of Okanogan County residents reported here are attributed to COVID-19 and were verified with the death certificate, testing and other case information.