Washington state reports 637 new COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths on Thursday
The Washington State Department of Health on Thursday reported 637 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 12 deaths.
Pierce County reported 72 cases Thursday and one new death. Pierce County had a total of 130 deaths likely caused by COVID-19 as of Thursday, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.
Statewide totals from the illness caused by the coronavirus are at 65,339 cases and 1,736 deaths, up from 64,702 cases and 1,724 deaths Wednesday.
Thirty-six people with confirmed COVID-19 cases were admitted to Washington state hospitals on Aug. 5, the most recent date with complete data. Late March had two days with 88 people admitted, the highest numbers to date during the pandemic.
The total number of tests conducted is temporarily unavailable, according to the DOH. On Aug. 5, 9,757 specimens were collected statewide, with 7.6% testing positive. The average positive test rate for the seven days prior was 7%.
The test numbers reflect only polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which are given to patients while the virus is presumably still active in the body.
King County continues to have the highest numbers in Washington, with 17,118 cases and 686 deaths. Yakima County is second, with 10,467 cases and 217 deaths. Pierce is third with cases at 5,940.
All counties in Washington have cases. Garfield and Wahkiakum have case counts of fewer than 10.
On Thursday, Washington had a 859-per-100,000-people case rate. The national rate is 1,579, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Louisiana has the highest rate in the United States at 2,882. Vermont is lowest at 236.
There had been nearly 5.2 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 166,971 deaths from the virus in the United States as of Thursday evening, according to Johns Hopkins University. More than 751,000 people have died from the disease worldwide.
This story was originally published August 13, 2020 at 4:12 PM.
