PACIFIC COUNTY — After an extended time with just a handful of covid-19 cases being reported in a given week since the peak of the Omicron wave subsided, county health officials are keeping an eye on the situation locally after more than two dozen new cases were reported over the past week.

As of April 25, a total of 25 new cases were reported in Pacific County over the previous seven days, for a pandemic total of 3,843 cases. The two-week case rate per 100,000 people nearly doubled over the prior week, jumping from 92 to 166, and hospitalizations rose by one, to 163. The county’s pandemic death toll has remained at 55 for all of April thus far.

County health director Katie Lindstrom said new cases are being seen throughout the county, and don’t appear to be tied to any one event or location. The jump is notable, she said, but also noted it’s a far cry from the peaks of the Omicron and Delta waves that the county experienced over the past nine months. She said the jump in virus activity is something people — particularly those who are more vulnerable to developing a severe illness from covid — should take into account when going out in public.

“It all comes down to people’s individual risk tolerance. But especially if you’re high risk, either because of your age or underlying [medical] conditions, it’s a good idea to wear a good mask when you’re in crowded indoor settings,” Lindstrom said. “Depending on your risk tolerance — if you just don’t want to catch covid at all — it’s a good idea to do that. Obviously some people who aren’t at high risk might not feel that way themselves, personally.”

For those who are considering masking up, she stressed that higher quality masks like N-95, KN-95 and KF-94 masks should be worn to maximize your own protection when in the presence of other people who are not wearing a face covering.

With concerns about sublineages of the original Omicron variant, including BA.2, also being incredibly transmissible, Lindstrom also continued to urge all eligible people to get boosted. All people 12 and older are eligible to receive a booster shot five months after completing their initial two-dose Pfizer or Moderna vaccine series, and those 50 and older — as well as certain immunocompromised individuals — are eligible to receive a second booster four months after receiving their first booster.

In Pacific County as of April 23, 67.8% of all residents have received at least one covid-19 vaccine dose, 60.7% have received two doses, and 31.3% have received at least one booster dose. The county’s first-dose percentage ranks 13th out of Washington’s 39 counties, and third out of the 17 counties with a population of less than 50,000.

A list of upcoming opportunities to get vaccinated in the county can be found at www.pacificcountycovid19.com/get-vaccinated.