Washington Adds 30 Deaths, 197 New Cases To Coronavirus Count

SEATTLE, WA — The Washington State Department of Health reported 197 new coronavirus cases and 30 additional deaths related to COVID-19 Tuesday afternoon. Lab tests have confirmed at least 12,282 illnesses and 682 deaths linked to the new coronavirus since late February.

The state's tally included more than a dozen new deaths in King County and three more deaths in Pierce and Snohomish Counties respectively.

According to state data, more than 145,000 people have been tested for COVID-19 in Washington, and approximately 8.5 percent received postive results. Daily hospitalization rates for patients with symptoms similar to the disease have continued to decline since peaking in March.

Inslee outlines steps needed to reopen Washington; many restrictions likely beyond May 4

Gov. Jay Inslee outlined the state's plan to begin relaxing some social distancing measures in the weeks ahead in a televised speech Tuesday evening. Inslee said the state expects updated modeling in the coming days that could allow for revised rules on elective surgeries, construction projects and outdoor recreation.

Inslee said many existing restrictions were likely to continue beyond May 4, which is the date his extended "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" order was set to expire.

Before state leaders can begin considering a wider shift in mandates, the governor said Washington would need to boost its daily testing from roughly 4,000 samples to a number between 20,000 and 30,000. For that to happen, the state will need access to a much larger pool of test kits — something the governor has repeatedly urged the federal government to provide.

Once sufficient testing is in place, the governor said the state would need to deploy a large contact-tracing team to quickly isolate patients with potential COVID-19 illnesses and track down anyone else who may have been exposed. Inslee said he expects a team of 1,500 people would be ready to activate by the second week in May.

UW Virology begins testing blood for coronavirus antibodies

The UW Virology Lab began processing blood samples for coronavirus antibodies Tuesday morning, as part of a new effort to identify cases that went undetected and develop a fuller picture of the virus's spread in Washington. Researchers said the tests could also help identify more people who may be able to donate blood to help those still fighting the disease.

UW Virology said the lab was immediately able to process 4,000 tests per day, with goals to grow that number to 15,000 within two weeks.

Lab tests must be ordered by a medical professional, and researchers encourage prioritizing testing for front-line workers until capacity reaches the target. Learn more about the newly available testing here.

Seattle projects heavy job losses, budget shortfall up to $300 million

A revenue forecast released Tuesday by the Seattle City Budget Office expects a budget hit between $210 million and $300 million in 2020. Seattle's general fund draws from a variety of tax sources, including sales taxes and business taxes, which are expected to be drastically down amid widespread business closures and social distancing orders.

The economic forecast for the Seattle metro area, which includes King and Snohomish Counties, outlines two scenarios for economic recovery. Under a more rapid recovery, 65,000 jobs could be lost, and the unemployment rate could land at 8 percent by the end of the year. In the event of a slower recovery, 170,000 jobs could be lost, with 18 percent unemployed over the same timespan.

City officials expect declining revenue will continue to impact Seattle's budget in 2021 and 2022.

King County searches for former inmates who tested positive for coronavirus

King County public health officials are working to track down two former inmates who tested positive for COVID-19. According to the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention, both inmates were booked in downtown Seattle, then transferred to the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent.

Officials said the first inmate was booked on suspicion of driving under the influence Friday morning and released Saturday afternoon. The second inmate was booked on the same charge Saturday morning and released Monday night.

The department said the inmates were placed in a "droplet precaution," as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Public health workers are attempting to locate both people to connect them with available resources and a safe place to self-isolate if necessary.

The two cases are the first recorded among King County's correctional facilities. According to the county, the inmate population has decreased 30 percent since mid-March.

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

Total confirmed cases: 12,282 (682 deaths)

King: 5,360 cases (373 deaths)
Snohomish: 2,125 cases (99 deaths)
Pierce: 1,148 cases (35 deaths)
Yakima: 840 cases (38 deaths)
Benton: 338 cases (35 deaths)
Spokane: 311 cases (18 deaths)
Clark: 281 cases (15 deaths)
Whatcom: 277 cases (27 deaths)
Skagit: 255 cases (9 deaths)
Franklin: 207 cases (4 deaths)
Island: 161 cases (9 deaths)
Grant: 141 cases (2 deaths)
Kitsap: 140 cases (2 deaths)
Thurston: 94 cases (1 death)
Chelan: 78 cases (5 deaths)
Douglas: 61 cases (1 death)
Adams: 44 cases
Walla Walla: 34 cases
Cowlitz: 34 cases
Jefferson: 28 cases
Mason: 22 cases
Lewis: 21 cases (2 deaths)
Klickitat: 16 cases (3 deaths)
Asotin: 14 cases (1 death)
San Juan: 14 cases
Clallam: 14 cases
Okanogan: 14 cases
Kittitas: 14 cases
Whitman: 13 cases
Grays Harbor: 12 cases
Stevens: 8 cases (1 death)
Skamania: 3 cases
Pacific: 3 cases
Lincoln: 2 cases
Pend Oreille: 2 cases
Wahkiakum: 2 cases
Columbia: 1 case
Ferry: 1 case

122 cases and one death remain unassigned to individual counties. The state is still determining how to sort the hundreds of cases with no definite origin.

*Some numbers differ from the totals provided separately by county health agencies.