||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT |||
NOTE: Current positive case numbers are available online at the County Case Data Dashboard. As indicated on that page, these numbers are only updated after case confirmation is complete, usually daily. It is possible that other information sources in community may be quicker to report on new cases, but ensuring privacy and accuracy is critical for this official information source.
Since the last update on Friday Jan. 15, total cases in San Juan County have increased from 96 to 97. The one new case is on San Juan Island. Note that approximately 36 individuals who are close contacts of positive cases are currently in active quarantine.
ORCAS ISLAND
There are no new cases and one previous positive case being actively monitored on Orcas Island at this time.
LOPEZ ISLAND
There are no new cases and no positive cases being actively monitored on Lopez Island at this time.
SAN JUAN ISLAND
For the new case on San Juan Island, transmission source is unknown at this time. In addition to this case, three previously reported individuals with positive test results are also being actively monitored.
OVERALL PICTURE:
- While hopefully the reduced number of cases this week is indicative of moving beyond the period of holiday travel, the large number of close contacts in active quarantine indicates positive cases with fairly high levels of exposure to others, primarily via social or household contact. It is quite possible that clusters of additional positive cases will result.
- Cleary vaccine distribution is front and center. Latest information is available HERE.
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Brendan’s summary is exceedingly modest. From the county Covid-19 data just published on Friday, there is only one new case in SJC in 199 new tests over the past week. That’s a positivity rating of 0.5+-0.5 percent, which is phenomenal, back where we were in the summer. If you average over the first three weeks in January, you get 18 cases (of which only two were on Orcas Island) in 481 tests, for a positivity rating of 3.7+-1.6 percent. The positivity rating for Orcas Island must be below 1 percent, but I can’t calculate it because they don’t tell us the number of tests here. Compare these numbers to something like 12% positivity statewide, according to the Seattle Times. Orcas Island is one of the safest places in America!