Health & Fitness
Coronavirus Cases Near 7,000 In Washington; 284 Dead
Updated numbers released Friday included 381 new coronavirus cases and 22 additional deaths linked to the illness in Washington.
SEATTLE, WA — State health officials confirmed 381 new coronavirus cases and an additional 22 deaths in Washington linked to COVID-19. The numbers released Friday afternoon account for all lab-confirmed results received by 11:59 p.m. Thursday.
According to the state database, 6,966 illnesses and 284 deaths have been recorded in the state since the first patient tested positive on Jan. 21. The first instance of community transmission was announced on Feb. 28.
At least 82,599 people have been tested for COVID-19 in Washington, and approximately 8.4 percent received positive results.
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Friday's update included 13 more deaths in King County, five more deaths in Benton County, two more deaths in Spokane County and one more death in Clark County.
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Inslee vetoes $445 million in new spending to offset coronavirus costs
Gov. Jay Inslee vetoed nearly 150 bills and budget items approved in Olympia last month, reducing planned new spending by approximately $445 million over the next three years.
With revenue expected to drastically fall this year, Inslee said it was important to offset impacts early and limit how much of the state's $3 billion reserves will be needed to support existing programs.
"[This is] a substantial step to try to right our fiscal ship, that we know will be in very troubled waters," Inslee said.
The governor said the cuts would not affect funding for essential programs, but many new initiatives passed by lawmakers will no longer be possible.
Friday's cuts included several measures the governor himself supported, including more than $100 million in funding for school counselors and a $50 million climate change fund.
Inslee said the recent economic downtown is perhaps the most severe that state has ever seen, and the fastest way to get back on track is by defeating the virus in Washington.
"The best way to solve our economic challenges is to solve our COVID-19 challenges," Inslee said.
COVID-19 has caused financial pain to Washingtonians. That includes lost revenue for the state. So today, I’m vetoing 147 separate expenditure items. It will reduce state spending by $445 million over the next three years. 2/5
— Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) April 3, 2020
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CDC recommends all Americans wear face coverings
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said all Americans should consider wearing face coverings in public, to prevent further spread of COVID-19. Medical experts say fabric or cloth masks, which can be made at home, serve as an added safeguard to keep wearers from unknowingly spreading the virus through respiratory droplets, which are produced when people cough, sneeze or even speak.
Seattle and King County Public Health shared a guide Friday, detailing the best practices to ensure masks are well constructed and properly maintained for maximum effectiveness. Public health officials note cloth or fabric masks do not protect the wearer from infection and adhering to stay-at-home orders and social distancing measures remain the best way to prevent illness.
Medical-grade masks, including N95 respirators, should be reserved for health care providers.
Learn more on the Public Health Insider blog and find instructions to make homemade masks here.
New data dashboards, visualizations on state coronavirus website
The Washington State Department of Health teamed up with Microsoft to overhaul how it presents the latest information and trends related to the COVID-19 outbreak in our state. The new system provides daily updates to a number of metrics, including information on epidemiologic curves, testing and hospitalization rates.
"This dashboard helps us communicate trends and data in a way that makes it much easier for the public to understand," said Jennifer McNamara, the department's chief information officer.
You can view the latest information (updated daily) here.
Confirmed COVID-19 cases by county (from the Washington Department of Health*)
Total confirmed cases: 6,966 (284 deaths)
King: 2,711 cases (188 deaths)
Snohomish: 1,317 cases (38 deaths)
Unassigned: 1,008 cases (1 death)
Pierce: 433 cases (7 deaths)
Yakima: 238 cases (6 deaths)
Spokane: 177 cases (7 deaths)
Skagit: 150 cases (4 deaths)
Benton: 136 cases (9 deaths)
Whatcom: 127 cases (8 deaths)
Island: 119 cases (3 deaths)
Clark: 122 cases (8 deaths)
Kitsap: 92 cases
Grant: 68 cases (1 death)
Thurston: 52 cases
Franklin: 45 cases
Adams: 20 cases
Jefferson: 19 cases
Chelan: 19 cases (2 deaths)
Cowlitz: 17 cases
Lewis: 12 cases
Mason: 11 cases
Whitman: 10 cases
Kittitas: 9 cases
Klickitat: 8 cases (1 death)
Walla Walla: 8 cases
Clallam: 7 cases
Douglas: 7 cases
San Juan: 6 cases
Stevens: 5 cases
Okanogan: 4 cases
Grays Harbor: 3 cases
Asotin: 1 case
Columbia: 1 case
Ferry: 1 case
Lincoln: 1 case
Skamania: 1 case
Pend Oreille: 1 case
Total tests: 82,599
Percent positive: 8.4%
*Some numbers differ from the totals provided separately by county health agencies.
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