North Bend has highest rate of COVID-positive tests in the county

North Bend has the highest positive COVID test rate of any city in the county. Over the past two weeks, from Dec. 22 to Jan. 4, there were 58 new cases, with a 25.7% positive test rate. There were five hospitalizations and one death.

That positive test rate is more than double the county rate of 10.9%, and North Bend has the highest rate of positive cases in all King County cities, at 849 cases per 100,000 residents.

Over the last month, there were 88 new cases reported in the city, a 51% monthly increase. Nearly all of these were in people under age 60, according to a press release from the city of North Bend.

An outbreak at the Red Oak Residence has led to 21 positive tests as of Jan. 6, according to Seattle and King County Public Health. The outbreak has sickened 10 residents, 10 staff and one visitor who reportedly didn’t enter the facility. There has been one death associated with the outbreak, and one additional hospitalization.