Respiratory Illnesses Rise in Island County, COVID 19 Remains Low

Island County Public Health published an update on November 19, 2025 summarizing regional trends for acute respiratory illness, COVID 19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus. The report noted that acute respiratory illness is rising, influenza activity is rising, and RSV activity is rising, while COVID 19 activity was described as low and stable. Public health officials also posted local wastewater monitoring and emergency department trends to help the community gauge current risk.

Data for CDC Week 46, covering November 9 through November 15, 2025 show that 8.4 percent of emergency department visits by Island County residents were for acute respiratory illness, which remains below the 14 percent threshold that regional health partners use to trigger added precautions. COVID 19 accounted for 0.0 percent of ED visits, influenza made up 0.2 percent, and RSV was 0.6 percent. Wastewater viral activity reported November 19, 2025 for Oak Harbor, Coupeville and Stanwood showed low to very low levels for COVID 19, influenza and RSV. The public page also includes charts of ED visit trends and percent positive tests reported by WhidbeyHealth, along with links to regional and state dashboards and contact information for communicable disease reporting.

Although the current ED numbers remain under the masking threshold, the simultaneous rise in influenza and RSV presents a public health concern. Healthcare organizations updated masking guidance for the 2025 to 2026 respiratory season and recommend implementing universal masking in healthcare settings when the North Sound Accountable Community of Health region reaches a 14 percent acute respiratory illness ED visit rate, with masking to remain in place until the region is below that threshold for two consecutive weeks. That policy aims to protect patients and staff and to slow transmission of multiple respiratory viruses at once.

For Island County residents, the update highlights several practical considerations. Older adults, young children and people with chronic health conditions face higher risks of severe outcomes from influenza and RSV. Rural communities and island populations often contend with limited local health care capacity and longer travel times for specialized care, which can amplify consequences when multiple respiratory pathogens circulate at once. The wastewater results and low COVID 19 ED visits offer some reassurance that community transmission of COVID 19 is currently limited, but the rising trends in other respiratory illnesses warrant vigilance.

Public health officials encourage residents to use available prevention tools, to stay aware of local testing and vaccination resources, and to watch the county dashboard for weekly updates. The county page provides contact information for reporting communicable diseases and links to regional resources for those seeking more detailed data or assistance.