511 New Coronavirus Cases In Washington; 25 More Dead

SEATTLE, WA — Lab testing has confirmed 511 new coronavirus cases in Washington and 25 additional deaths, according to an update from the state department of health Thursday.

The state has recorded more than 9,600 COVID-19 illnesses since the outbreak began and 446 people have died.

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Public health officials reported 198 new cases and 14 deaths in King County, which accounts for the highest concentration of COVID-19 illnesses and deaths in the state. The daily figures represent all confirmed cases reported by 11:59 p.m. the night prior and can include some results processed earlier in the week.

The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department recorded the county's 17th death Thursday and confirmed 45 new coronavirus cases.

New York leads the world in coronavirus cases

New York state now has more coronavirus cases than anywhere else on earth, according to numbers released Thursday. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said nearly 160,000 New Yorkers have tested positive for the virus since the outbreak began and more than 7,000 people have died. New York makes up roughly one-third of the COVID-19 cases in the United States.

King County to distribute 23,000 coronavirus test kits

King County will make thousands of test kits available as demand for testing continues to outpace availability in many areas. According to Seattle and King County Public Health, UW Medicine will contribute 20,000 kits, prioritized for first responders, health care workers, and people who live or work in high-risk settings, including long-term care facilities and homeless shelters.

Seattle Flu Study, which is running the SCAN program, will distribute another 2,000 self-test kits to help track and understand the virus's spread among health care workers, and the state department of health will provide 1,000 kits for emergency medical service providers.

"These kits help address the urgency to increase testing for COVID-19 in King County," said Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer for King County. "I thank our community partners who are helping to do the testing where it's most needed at this time."

Nearly 177,000 new jobless claims in Washington

Another 176,827 Washingtonians filed new jobless claims last week, according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor. More than half a million workers have filed for unemployment in Washington since the outbreak began.

Across the United States, initial unemployment claims jumped 6.6 million for the week ending April 4th. Over the last three weeks, an unprecedented 16.8 million American workers have filed claims in the wake of widespread business closures mandated across 48 states.

Social distancing reminders during warm weather; more parks and beaches close

A stretch of beautiful Spring weather in Washington has public health officials reminding everyone to enjoy the outdoors responsibly and away from groups. Despite recent progress in slowing the virus in some areas, health officials say letting up on dedicated efforts will only help ensure the virus's rebound.

According to Seattle and King County Public Health, those heading outside in the days ahead should stay six feet apart from others at all times, and only venture out solo or with members of your household. If an area becomes too crowded to maintain the six-foot radius, head somewhere else.

Noting continued gatherings amid the shift in weather, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan has announced a full weekend closure of 15 of the city's largest parks and beaches, including Golden Gardens, Gas Works Park, Discovery Park and Alki Beach. The closures go into effect Friday, April 10, at 11 p.m. The parks will reopen Monday at 4:30 a.m.

"These are beautiful weather days we crave all winter, but we are living in unprecedented times and the Governor's order isn't stay out — it's stay home," Durkan said.

You can find tips on enjoying the outdoors safely on the Public Health Insider blog.

Emergency motion seeks immediate inmate releases, more coronavirus testing among prison population

An emergency motion filed before the state's highest court Thursday is urging the immediate release of at-risk prisoners at the Monroe Correctional Complex after at least six inmates and five staff members tested positive for COVID-19 this week.

Columbia Legal Services filed a petition in March seeking the release of all inmates over 50, those with underlying health conditions, and anyone with 18 or fewer months left on their sentence. After the illness began to spread at the Monroe facility, lawyers said the court's original timeline to hear oral arguments, scheduled to begin April 23, was not fast enough.

The state Supreme Court gave the state until 9 a.m. Friday to respond to the motion, with the petitioners' reply due at noon.

Law enforcement responded to the Monroe Correctional Complex Wednesday night amid a large protest over to the virus among inmates at the facility. According to the Associated Press, corrections officers used pepper spray and rubber pellets to disperse the crowds and temporarily evacuated both housing units at the prison. No injuries were reported.

Confirmed COVID-19 cases by county (from the Washington Department of Health*)

Total confirmed cases: 9,608 (446 deaths)

King: 3,884 cases (257 deaths)
Snohomish: 1,702 cases (62 deaths)
Unassigned: 908 cases**
Pierce: 808 cases (16 deaths)
Yakima: 427 cases (19 deaths)
Whatcom: 240 cases (21 deaths)
Spokane: 230 cases (13 deaths)
Benton: 215 cases (21 deaths)
Clark: 194 cases (14 deaths)
Skagit: 173 cases (5 deaths)
Island: 151 cases (7 deaths)
Kitsap: 122 cases (1 death)
Grant: 99 cases (2 deaths)
Franklin: 93 cases (2 deaths)
Thurston: 81 cases (1 death)
Chelan: 41 cases (2 deaths)
Adams: 30 cases
Jefferson: 28 cases
Cowlitz: 21 cases
Mason: 18 cases
Lewis: 18 cases (2 deaths)
Walla Walla: 16 cases
Kittitas: 15 cases (1 death)
Douglas: 13 cases
Whitman: 12 cases
San Juan: 12 cases
Okanogan: 12 cases
Klickitat: 11 cases (1 death)
Clallam: 11 cases
Grays Harbor: 7 cases
Stevens: 6 cases
Asotin: 4 cases
Skamania: 2 cases
Wahkiakum: 2 cases
Columbia: 1 case
Ferry: 1 case
Lincoln: 1 case
Pend Oreille: 1 case

*Some numbers differ from the totals provided separately by county health agencies.
**Health agencies are still working to determine the appropriate jurisdiction for cases marked "unassigned."