How is COVID-19 continuing to impact Mercer Island?

Checking in on case rates, testing statistics and more as King County enters new reopening phase.

By Blake Peterson • June 20, 2020 3:00 pm
This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. The sample was isolated from a patient in the U.S. (NIAID-RML via AP)
This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. The sample was isolated from a patient in the U.S. (NIAID-RML via AP)

As of June 19, 78 people on Mercer Island have tested positive for COVID-19 (coronavirus), according to Public Health — King County’s COVID-19 dashboard.

Between June 3-17, there have been two new cases.

Per the dashboard, only 5.2 percent of all Mercer Island residents have been tested for the virus. Currently, the positive case rate stands at 318.8 cases per 100,000 residents — a number lower than the overall King County rate. The county’s positive case rate, as of June 19, is 403.7 per 100,000 people.

The county reports 11 Mercer Island residents have been hospitalized as a result of a COVID-19 infection. Those who have been hospitalized constitute 14.1 percent of all positive cases.

Four Mercer Island residents have died from the illness, and make up 5.1 percent of all positive cases. The death rate, however, is slightly lower than it was in late May. As of June 19, it’s 16.3 people per 100,000 residents compared to the 20.4 at the end of last month.

The data dashboard shows that in Mercer Island, those who are 60 and older are more often testing positive. For the 60-69 age range, the positive case range is 512.8 cases per 100,000 residents. For 70-79, it’s 550 per 100,000. And for 80-plus, it’s 902 per 100,000, as of June 19.

Those who have died from COVID-19 on Mercer Island, according to the data, have exclusively encompassed residents older than 80.

Data shows that more men in Mercer Island have tested positive than women. For every 100,000 residents, 363.6 men have tested positive. For women, it’s 244 positive cases for every 100,000 residents, as of June 19.

For every 100,000 residents on Mercer Island, 268.9 white people have tested positive (or a count of 49). For the Asian population, the positive case rate is 79.1 for every 100,000 residents (four Asian residents have tested positive). For the Hispanic/Latinx population, it is 119.8 (or one positive case). According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 74 percent of Mercer Island residents are white, 19.9 percent are Asian and 3.3 percent are Hispanic/Latinx.

There were no recorded positive cases in other race/ethnicity categories on the Island, per the dashboard. Overarching King County data shows that people of color, especially the Black, Hispanic/Latinx and Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian communities, are seeing disproportionately higher positive case rates than white people.

As of June 19, four skilled nursing and assisted living facilities on Mercer Island have at least one COVID-19 case.

Between May 31 and June 6, there were 47 new unemployment claims filed on Mercer Island. Since March 1, there have been 2,837 new claims. In the city, the claims per capita rate is 20.7 percent — an increase from late May’s 19.2 percent per capita rate.

In total, 1,502 people on Mercer Island have been tested for COVID-19; 46 people between June 18-19 were checked. The rate at which people are getting tested on Mercer Island is comparable to the overall King County rate.

For more COVID-19 data specifics, go to the King County dashboard.