Washington Reports 7 More Coronavirus Deaths, 458 New Cases

SEATTLE, WA — State health officials reported 458 coronavirus cases and seven additional deaths in Washington on Thursday.

Per the latest data, 78,467 patients have tested positive in the state since the crisis began, and at least 1,985 people have died from complications linked to COVID-19. According to the state, approximately 284 patients with confirmed or suspected illnesses are currently hospitalized. Overall, hospitalizations have continued to trend downward.

At least 2,632 new illnesses have been confirmed in Washington over the last seven days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's case tracker. The number of new cases reported statewide has shown steady improvement in recent weeks.

Many of Washington's counties still show a rate of cases by population higher than the target threshold of 25 cases per 100,000 residents over 14 days. However, King, Pierce, Snohomish, Skagit, Kitsap and Lewis counties are now in the moderate range, between 50 and 75 cases per 100,000.

Health labs have processed at least 1,597,987 tests in Washington since the public health crisis began.

COVID-19 mitigation measures helped reduce other infections, researchers find

Data from the Seattle Flu Study and the Seattle Coronavirus Assessment Network found efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19 likely played a role in suppressing other respiratory diseases in recent months.

"Comparing the 2019 data to this year’s summer of COVID-19 control, we saw a deeper and much longer suppression of respiratory diseases with only the COVID-19 virus and rhinovirus enduring," public health officials wrote in a blog post. "While it is hard to quantify the exact effects of the COVID-19 mitigation efforts as there are many complexities in analyzing this combined dataset, the undeniable contrast is almost certainly due to the COVID-19 control efforts."

According to an analysis from Public Health - Seattle & King County, a close look at the data shows an accelerated decline in seasonal flu cases in the summer months, along with RSV and common coronaviruses.

Public health officials noted three important lessons gleaned from the data:

"First, our mitigation efforts are protecting us from more than just COVID-19. Second, our efforts are not perfect. Despite everything people have done and are doing, rhinovirus—the most common viral infection in humans and dominant cause of the common cold—continues to circulate. Third, not all circulation is equal—rhinovirus levels are still much lower and climbing more slowly than last summer, and COVID-19 levels are much lower than they would be if left unchecked."

Although the flu season could be "very mild" this year, due to ongoing mitigation efforts, public health officials said the winter carries higher risks for increased spread of respiratory disease. However, heading into the fall, rhinovirus — the main cause of the common cold — is on the rise.

“The same steps we take to prevent COVID-19 — limiting activities outside the home, decreasing the numbers and duration of close contact with others, avoiding poorly ventilated indoor spaces, wearing a mask whenever in public, and good handwashing — will also help reduce the spread of influenza and other respiratory viruses,” said Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer for King County. “And because we need to prevent as many influenza infections as possible this season, everyone should please remember to get vaccinated.”

King County closes three outdoor testing sites Friday, due to expected smoke

Public health officials announced the temporary closure of three outdoor testing sites, citing poor air quality from a large amount of smoke expected to descend on the region by Friday morning.

The sites impacted Friday include the two new testing sites in Auburn and Renton and the at the Downtown Public Health Center in Seattle.

A "super-massive" plume of wildfire smoke from California and Oregon is filtering into Western Washington and is expected to degrade air quality to unhealthy ranges throughout Puget Sound into the weekend.

Smoke can present serious health problems for people with COVID-19, asthma and other respiratory conditions. Guidance for limiting health impacts during major smoke events can be found on the Public Health - Seattle & King County website.

Total coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths by county:

The above numbers are provided by the state Department of Health, and some numbers differ from the totals provided separately by county health agencies.