PACIFIC COUNTY — New cases of covid-19 are at their highest level since late winter in Washington’s southwestern-most county, leading health officials to recommend mask-wearing in public indoor settings until case levels subside.

With 78 new cases over the previous week, the two-week case rate in Pacific County rose to 652 per 100,000 people as of July 6, up from 379 on June 22. It’s the highest the case rate has been in the county since late February, at the tail end of the initial Omicron wave.

The Pacific County Health and Human Services Department also reported another covid-related death on July 6, the 59th since the pandemic began and the first reported death in the county since June 1. There have been 173 reported hospitalizations due to the virus in the county throughout the pandemic.

The rise in cases in recent weeks has led county health officials to “strongly recommend” mask-wearing at indoor settings and on public transportation. And with a potential post-holiday surge from the thousands of tourists visiting the county, they are urging people to take extra caution when in public spaces.

The health department, through a partnership with Timberland Regional Library, is continuing to offer free N-95 masks and at-home tests at any of the branch’s Pacific County locations — Ilwaco, Ocean Park, Naselle, Raymond and South Bend.

About 35% of the newly reported cases in the county over the past two weeks are of people residing on the peninsula, with much of the rest coming from north county residents. Since the pandemic began, peninsula residents make up about 35% of all known cases in the county, despite making up close to half of the countywide population.

Health officials also continue to recommend that people get vaccinated and stay up to date on their boosters. Boosters are available and recommended for everyone 5 and older, and a second booster shot is recommended for those 50 and older as well as certain people 12 and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised.

Vaccines also recently became available for children under 5, which affects about 900 children in the county. Health officials are encouraging parents to reach out to their child’s pediatrician about trying to schedule an appointment to get them vaccinated.

In Pacific County, 68.9% of the total population has received at least one initial vaccine dose against the virus, 61.8% have completed their primary vaccine series, and 33.1% have received at least one booster dose. Those figures rank 13th, 13th and 15th, respectively, out of Washington’s 39 counties, and are among the highest in counties with a population of less than 50,000.

For a current list of vaccine sites, times and other details, see www.pacificcountycovid19.com/get-vaccinated.html.