ENTERPRISE — Wallowa County in the past week bucked what had been a positive trend in local COVID-19 cases, but the count is still well below the highs of recent months. 

During the first week of November, there were 26 new cases of COVID-19 reported in the county, bringing the number of overall cases to 731, according to Oregon Health Authority reports. There were no new COVID-related deaths reported in the county in the past week, with that total remaining at 12 during the pandemic.

Two high single-day totals — nine on Nov. 2 and eight on Nov. 4 — drove the count during the week. No other day saw more than four new cases. 

The total was the highest in several weeks, with the previous three weeks seeing counts of 21, 19 and 12 cases. 

OHA reported two cases in the county that had come in over the weekend on Monday, Nov. 8. 

Region 9, which includes Wallowa County, saw an uptick on Nov. 2 to 29 cases that required hospitalization. By Monday, that number had decreased to 20 patients hospitalized with COVID-19. 

Vaccinations rates increased, but at a slow rate, last week. The rate of residents 18 and older to have at least one dose is up to 67.5%. Of the entire population, the number is 57.5%. The county runs below the state average with the exception of residents who have received an extra dose. That number is 15.6% of 18 and older residents, and 12.6% of all.

Vaccines were approved last week for youths age 5-11, and so far in Wallowa County, 45 youth in that age range — 7.5% of that segment of the population — have received a first dose.

The number of reported breakthrough cases in the county remains unchanged at 95, per OHA data.