Health & Fitness
10 More Deaths, 392 New Coronavirus Cases In Washington
According to the latest state data, the overall testing positivity rate ticked down to 5.7%. Catch up on the latest developments here.
SEATTLE, WA — The state Department of Health added 392 new coronavirus cases to its official tally Friday afternoon, and 10 more deaths were linked to COVID-19 in Washington. The largest increase in daily case totals was again recorded in Yakima County. New deaths were reported in Benton, Grant, King, Pierce, Walla Walla and Yakima counties.
At least 25,171 people have tested positive for the virus since the outbreak began, and 1,204 people have died. According to the latest data, nearly 440,000 people have been tested for the coronavirus, with just under 5.7 percent testing positive.
Across the United States, more than 2 million people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since January and nearly 115,000 have died, according to the New York Times.
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Catch up on the latest developments:
Effort to boost nursing home testing continues in Washington
A largescale effort continues to test every resident and staff member inside Washington's nursing homes, according to state health officials. Despite the progress made, the state says, more time is needed to complete the work.
Under the State Secretary of Health's earlier order, Friday was the target date for all facilities to achieve the following goals:
- Offer COVID-19 tests to all residents and administer tests to all consenting residents,
- Require all staff to be tested for COVID-19 and administer tests to all staff, except those who declined with medical justification,
- Contact DOH for assistance if unable to test,
- Ensure timely and proper submission of test specimens to authorized laboratories, and
- Immediately report positive test results.
On Friday, the state said uneven access to supplies remained an issue, and a shortage of shipping materials and cold packs slowed the process of returning samples for processing. According to the State Department of Health, at least 187 facilities have either completed testing, received supplies, or had supplies shipped their way.
Health officials brace for potential second, third waves of the coronavirus
Public health experts are looking at the history books to prepare for the possibility of more coronavirus waves in the future. A blog published by the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department reviewed the timeline and behavior of the 1918 influenza pandemic, which saw a second wave by fall, and a third wave between winter and summer.
A model released this week at the University of Washington predicts a second wave could begin in September.
The health department said the best thing everyone can do is remain vigilant and adhering to precautionary measures, like wearing face coverings in public and staying home when you are sick.
Read more from the health department here, or read the CDC's history of the 1918 influenza here.
Coronavirus cases by county:
| County | Confirmed Cases | Hospitalizations | Deaths |
| Adams | 89 | 6 | 0 |
| Asotin | 20 (+1) | 1 | 2 |
| Benton | 1,075 (+34) | 168 (+6) | 72 (+2) |
| Chelan | 271 (+3) | 18 | 6 |
| Clallam | 28 | 3 | 0 |
| Clark | 604 (+9) | 93 (+2) | 27 |
| Columbia | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Cowlitz | 102 (+1) | 16 | 0 |
| Douglas | 178 | 12 | 3 |
| Ferry | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Franklin | 847 (+21) | 97 (+4) | 25 |
| Garfield | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Grant | 241 (+6) | 28 (+1) | 5 (+1) |
| Grays Harbor | 20 (+1) | 7 | 0 |
| Island | 182 | 32 | 11 |
| Jefferson | 31 | 6 | 0 |
| King | 8,611 (+61) | 1,684 (+7) | 586 (+3) |
| Kitsap | 173 (+3) | 27 (+1) | 2 |
| Kittitas | 92 (+2) | 1 | 0 |
| Klickitat | 42 | 6 | 3 |
| Lewis | 38 (+1) | 10 | 3 |
| Lincoln | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mason | 39 | 5 | 1 |
| Okanogan | 57 (+1) | 5 | 1 |
| Pacific | 11 (+1) | 2 | 1 |
| Pend Orielle | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Pierce | 2,097 (+19) | 378 (+5) | 88 (+1) |
| San Juan | 15 (+1) | 1 | 0 |
| Skagit | 454 (+2) | 53 (+1) | 15 |
| Skamania | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Snohomish | 3,107 (+32) | 580 (+5) | 156 |
| Spokane | 791 (+13) | 91 (+1) | 37 |
| Stevens | 15 | 4 | 1 |
| Thurston | 183 (+11) | 31 | 4 |
| Wahkiakum | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Walla Walla | 118 | 8 | 3 (+1) |
| Whatcom | 436 (+8) | 53 (+1) | 38 |
| Whitman | 27 (+6) | 0 | 0 |
| Yakima | 4,988 (+141) | 387 (+13) | 114 (+2) |
| Unassigned | 34 (+14) | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 25,171 | 3,817 | 1,204 |
The above numbers are provided by the state Department of Health, and some numbers differ from the totals provided separately by county health agencies.
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