Coronavirus In Washington: 13,686 Confirmed Cases, 765 Deaths

SEATTLE, WA — The Washington State Department of Health added 165 lab-confirmed cases and 16 deaths to its official statewide count Monday afternoon. The latest numbers include all infections confirmed by 11:59 p.m. Sunday night.

King County, which was the nation's first coronavirus epicenter, still accounts for the highest number of cases in Washington, and more than half of the state's deaths linked to COVID-19.

According to state health data, nearly 180,000 Washingtonians have been tested for the new coronavirus since January, and 7.6 percent of patients tested positive.

Catch up on the latest developments in Washington:

New report details the risk of rebound if social distancing measures are lifted too early

A new report from the Institute for Disease Modeling shows more action is needed to defeat COVID-19 in King County.

Updated modeling from the IDM showed the number of new cases stemming from each infection has declined from around 3 in March to about 1 through April 4. Public health officials said the data indicated new cases would slowly decline or plateau at current levels, but additional interventions could help cut transmissions to a point where more social distancing measures could be relaxed.

"We've done a very good job in King County suppressing transmission of COVID-19, and that's largely due to the great work of our community in staying home and distancing to the extent possible," said Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer for King County." However, we still have way too many cases occurring each day.

Researchers predicted a rapid rise in the rate of new cases was likely to exceed previous peak levels, if all restrictions were lifted by May 1. Modeling found, if instead, new strategies were implemented on top of social distancing, like increased testing and rapid contact tracing, the number of new cases would decline at a much faster pace.

Until the state reaches that point, the report said the disease's transmission rate would remain "extremely sensitive to policy choices and community behavior."

Gov. Jay Inslee said Monday that a contact-tracing team of 1,500 people would be ready to activate by May 11, securing a key requirement in the state's plans for gradually reopening the economy.

Learn more about the new research on the Public Health Insider blog.

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Inslee to relax restrictions on outdoor recreation

Restrictions on recreational activities including hiking, fishing, hunting and golfing will ease in Washington beginning May 5, Inslee announced in a news conference Monday.

The governor's updated order will restore public access to state parks and lands for day trips, but campgrounds will remain closed until further notice. Inslee said all visitors should limit trips to those in their immediate households and continue to avoid exposure to groups. Everyone will be required to adhere to social distancing measures at trailheads, boat launches and wildlife areas and wear face coverings as necessary.

Anyone exhibiting any cold or flu-like symptoms must stay home.

State wildlife officials said some recreational areas will take longer to reopen than others, and coastal shellfish and clamming sites were likely to lag beyond others.

Boeing says pandemic says the economic impact of the coronavirus will be felt for years

Boeing CEO David Calhoun told shareholders Monday that the aircraft industry will take several years to recover from the global coronavirus crisis. The company, which was already navigating a sharp downturn in revenue after two deadly crashes with the 737 Max, expects a first-quarter loss above $500 million, the Associated Press reported.

More sailors test positive for the coronavirus aboard Everett-based destroyer

At least 47 sailors have confirmed COVID-19 illnesses on the USS Kidd, a U.S. Navy destroyer based at Naval Station Everett. The outbreak aboard the ship is the second recorded on a Navy vessel at sea, following the USS Theodore Roosevelt, an aircraft carrier with 955 active cases.

The USS Kidd's executive officer said two sailors were medically evacuated to the United States, and 15 others were taken to the USS Makin Island for monitoring. None of the crewmembers infected required intensive care or ventilators, the Navy said.

The ship, which was deployed off South America, will return to port to receive a clean bill of health before setting sail again.

CDC adds six symptoms to watch for in potential COVID-19 patients

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention added half a dozen symptoms to its guidance on potential COVID-19 infections, according to the Washington Post. The CDC's previous list included just three symptoms: a cough, fever and shortness of breath.

The new symptoms linked to the virus can include:
-Chills
-Shaking with chills
-Muscle pain
-Headaches
-Sore throat
-Loss of taste or smell

The CDC said the list of symptoms is not all-inclusive and patients should contact their medical provider for any symptoms that are severe or concerning.

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

Total confirmed cases: 13,686 (765 deaths)

King: 5,945 cases (416 deaths)
Snohomish: 2,332 cases (106 deaths)
Pierce: 1,263 cases (47 deaths)
Yakima: 1,034 cases (45 deaths)
Benton: 409 cases (38 deaths)
Spokane: 347 cases (20 deaths)
Skagit: 305 cases (11 deaths)
Clark: 308 cases (18 deaths)
Whatcom: 287 cases (28 deaths)
Franklin: 256 cases (5 deaths)
Island: 164 cases (9 deaths)
Grant: 152 cases (2 deaths)
Kitsap: 147 cases (2 deaths)
Thurston: 100 cases (1 death)
Chelan: 93 cases (5 deaths)
Douglas: 75 cases (1 death)
Walla Walla: 55 cases
Adams: 46 cases
Cowlitz: 39 cases
Lewis: 29 cases (3 deaths)
Jefferson: 28 cases
Mason: 23 cases (1 death)
Okanogan: 20 cases (1 death)
Asotin: 17 cases (1 death)
Klickitat: 16 cases (3 deaths)
Clallam: 15 cases
Kittitas: 14 cases
San Juan: 14 cases
Whitman: 14 cases
Grays Harbor: 12 cases
Stevens: 9 cases (1 death)
Pacific: 4 cases
Skamania: 3 cases
Lincoln: 2 cases
Pend Oreille: 2 cases
Wahkiakum: 2 cases
Columbia: 1 case
Ferry: 1 case

103 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.