The delta variant continues to gain ground among the strains of COVID-19 circulating in Washington state, but so far, it hasn’t picked up traction in Spokane County.

The delta variant makes up 27% of variant cases detected in the state, based on the most recent data from mid-June.

In late May, the delta variant made up just 12% of the variant cases statewide.

The Puget Sound, Yakima and the Tri-Cities are where the majority of delta variant cases have been detected.

There has been just one case of the delta variant detected in Spokane County.

This does not mean the region is in the clear, however.

The alpha and gamma variants make up the vast majority of detected cases in Spokane County.

“The biggest concerns with the variants like delta and gamma is they’re more effective at transmission; if they get a hold of certain populations they tend to spread,” interim health officer Dr. Francisco Velázquez told reporters on Wednesday.

“With gamma, we know the hospitalization rate is higher than the average COVID-19 wild-type infection,” he added.

While Spokane County’s vaccination rate continues to incrementally increase, it is not high enough to prevent variant outbreaks.

Similarly, just because case rates continue to decline in the region, it does not mean the virus is done circulating.

“Transmission is still occurring, and you can still end up in the hospital,” Velázquez said. “And it’s something that can be prevented.”

In Spokane County, 53.2% of residents 12 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, as of Monday.

So far, no single variant is causing more breakthrough cases, according to state data.

There have been more than 2,500 breakthrough cases in Washington (when a person is fully vaccinated and tests positive for the virus) across all age groups. Of those breakthrough cases, 44 people have died. The majority of those deaths were in older adults with one or more underlying health condition. Half of the breakthrough deaths are associated with an outbreak in a long-term care facility.

Here’s a look at local numbersThe Spokane Regional Health District confirmed 42 new COVID-19 cases and two additional deaths on Wednesday.

There have been 671 deaths due to COVID-19 in Spokane County residents.

There are 37 patients hospitalized in Spokane with the virus.

The Panhandle Health District confirmed nine new COVID-19 cases and two additional deaths on Wednesday.

There have been 320 deaths due to the virus in Panhandle residents.

There are 15 Panhandle residents hospitalized with the virus.