Washington Coronavirus Updates: 734 New Cases, 10 More Deaths

SEATTLE, WA — State health officials reported 10 new deaths and 734 additional coronavirus cases in Washington on Wednesday, with the highest daily case counts in King, Pierce and Spokane counties.

Per the latest available information, 95,509 patients have tested positive in the state since the crisis began, and 2,221 people have died from complications linked to COVID-19. At least 4,112 new illnesses have been confirmed in Washington over the last seven days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's case tracker.

Most Washington counties still show a rate of cases by population higher than the target threshold of 25 cases per 100,000 residents over 14 days. At least 19 of the state's 39 counties are in the highest transmission bracket, including King and Pierce counties, where rates have recently increased.

As of Wednesday, health labs had processed more than 2.14 million tests in Washington since the public health crisis began.

Report: Coronavirus transmission increasing in Western Washington

Coronavirus activity is increasing in Western Washington, renewing health concerns as colder days approach and more people head inside.

"As COVID-19 activity intensifies, it's incredibly important that we all take precautions to reduce the impact of seasonal changes like spending more time indoors," said John Wiesman, state Secretary of Health. "We must be especially careful to avoid gathering in groups inside, including with families and friends outside of our immediate household."

The state's latest situation report found rising rates of transmission and higher case counts in the west, as activity hit a plateau in the east.

Here are a few takeaways from the Washington State Department of Health:

• Transmission is increasing in western Washington and recently plateauing in eastern Washington. The best estimates of the reproductive number (how many new people each COVID-19 patient will infect) were 1.12 in western Washington and 0.94 in eastern Washington as of September 27. The goal is a number well below one, which would mean COVID-19 transmission is declining.
• The situation in eastern Washington is unstable and efforts to control the spread of the virus must be strictly maintained or intensified to avoid a backslide. This instability is clear in case and hospitalization numbers, where we’ve seen increases and decreases at various points in September rather than the desired steady downward trend. The proportion of positive tests to total tests also remains high. Per person, the case rate in eastern Washington is twice as high as in western Washington and the daily hospitalization rate is more than twice as high.
• Case counts in western Washington are increasing across all age groups and over broad geographic areas. This suggests increases are due to broad community spread, not driven by a single type of activity or setting. Though all age groups are seeing increases, the rising trends among older people are particularly concerning because these groups tend to experience more severe illness.
• Recent growth in cases is widely distributed across a number of counties. Some larger counties (Clark, King, Kitsap, Pierce, Snohomish and Thurston) are seeing steady increases. Several smaller counties (Lewis, Mason, Pend Oreille and Skagit) are clearly experiencing increases, though the total number of recent cases remains low. Benton and Franklin counties are seeing gradual but steady increases as well.
• Trends are also mixed in counties with flat or decreasing case counts. In Spokane County, the steep increase in cases in early to mid-September may have reached a plateau. Case counts are fluctuating in Whitman County, with some likely increases in older people following a recent spike in the college-age population. Cases remain flat in Yakima County. Grant and Grays Harbor counties are seeing steady declines, and Whatcom County is starting to see decreases as of the start of October.

Read more: Coronavirus Cases, Transmission Rates Rise In Western Washington

Inslee signs extensions to eviction moratorium, public utility assistance

Gov. Jay Inslee has officially extended a statewide moratorium on evictions through the end of the year, which had been set to expire on Thursday. The governor's extension lists a few modifications, including:

• Clarifying that tenant behavior which is imminently hazardous to the physical safety of other persons on the premises is included among the existing permissible reasons for seeking to evict a tenant.
• Authorizing landlords and property owners to send advance notices of future rent increases in limited circumstances, as long as the notice clearly provides that the rent increase will not go into effect until after the moratorium expires.
• Establishing clearer guidance on permissible communications between landlords and tenants.
• Requiring that any 60-day notice to vacate if an owner intends to occupy or sell the premises must be in the form of an affidavit signed under penalty of perjury.

Another proclamation extends a prohibition of utility shutoffs due to nonpayment through Dec. 31. Customers are still required to make repayment arrangements with their utilities, but energy, water and telephone companies are barred from:

• Disconnecting any residential customers from energy, landline telephone or water service due to nonpayment on an active account, except at the request of the customer.
• Refusing to reconnect any residential customer who has been disconnected due to nonpayment.
• Charging fees for late payment or reconnection of energy, landline telephone or water service.
• Disconnecting service to any residential customer who has contacted the utility to request assistance from the utility’s COVID-19 Customer Support Program.

Washington finalizing vaccine distribution plan

State health officials continue to make progress on its coronavirus vaccine distribution efforts and expect to meet the deadline to turn in a playbook to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by Friday, according to the State Department of Health.

Officials said the plan, described as an "initial guidebook," will continue to be updated based on feedback, and as new information becomes available on what specific vaccines may be available. While there is no definitive timeframe on when the first vaccines will be available, state leaders are confident they will be ready to act when the time comes.

"Washington state is well positioned to receive, handle, distribute and administer [a] COVID-19 vaccine to its residents once a safe and effective vaccine is available," the department wrote Wednesday. "DOH has started its planning by coordinating with state agencies, local government, community leaders, health care providers, neighboring states and other partners."

DOH expects to share the plan on its website in the next week.

State health officer announces plan to step down

The state's top public health officer will leave her role by the end of the year, after more than six years of service. Dr. Kathy Lofy, the state health officer, announced her resignation plans Wednesday, citing the need for a hiatus and more time with her family.

"This decision is my own, and it's a personal one," Lofy said in a statement. "My only definitive plan after I leave the agency is to take a brief hiatus from my career to focus on being a mom, improving my health and reconnecting with my friends and family."

Lofy has not named an official departure date, saying only that it would be around the end of the year. With her departure, two of the state's top health roles will have new faces by January. In May, state Secretary of Health John Wiesman announced he would step down on Jan. 10. Wiesman will leave the department's top post after eight years and take up a faculty role at the University of North Carolina next summer.

According to DOH, a search for Lofy's replace will begin next month to ensure a smooth transition. Once Wiesman leaves, a new secretary will be appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee.

Read more: Washington's Top Health Officer To Step Down

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.