EVERETT — Snohomish County’s reported COVID cases increased for the second week in a row, and local health officials are warning of an incoming wave of omicron subvariant BA.2 cases.

A total of 498 cases were reported to the Snohomish Health District last week. That’s up from 376 the week prior and 290 before that.

Weekly hospital admissions are still lower than five per 100,000, health officer Dr. Chris Spitters told reporters Tuesday. And less than 10% of local hospital beds are occupied by COVID patients. That means the county is still in a low “COVID-19 community level,” according to an analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“However, the recent increase in cases is concerning,” Spitters said, “and warrants ongoing monitoring for continued increases and/or impacts on hospitalizations.”

Spitters said he expects a wave of BA.2 cases on the horizon, although it’s unclear what that wave will look like. There’s no solid evidence that the subvariant causes more severe illness, and Spitters said any surge will be buffered by immunity garnered through vaccination and prior infections.

It’s “unlikely” that the health care system will be overwhelmed, like it was in previous surges of COVID-19, he said.

“Collectively, we’re going to have to learn to live with the ebb and flow of cases as time goes on,” Spitters said. “This means our community must be ready to increase prevention measures, like masking and social distancing when the level of transmission of the trajectory of its impacts warrants doing so.”

In addition to getting vaccinated and boosted, Spitters said the public should “stay tuned for updated recommendations on prevention measures.”