Washington state reports 800 new COVID-19 cases and 19 deaths on Friday
The Washington State Department of Health on Friday reported 800 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 19 deaths.
Pierce County reported 96 cases Friday and two new deaths. Pierce County had a total of 132 deaths likely caused by COVID-19 as of Friday, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.
Statewide totals from the illness caused by the coronavirus are at 66,139 cases and 1,755 deaths, up from 65,339 cases and 1,736 deaths Thursday.
Thirty-five people with confirmed COVID-19 cases were admitted to Washington state hospitals on Aug. 6, 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. 6, 9,391 specimens were collected statewide, with 7.3% 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 17,308 cases and 689 deaths. Yakima County is second, with 10,523 cases and 218 deaths. Pierce is third with cases at 6,038.
All counties in Washington have cases. Garfield and Wahkiakum have case counts of fewer than 10.
On Thursday, Washington had a 867-per-100,000-people case rate. The national rate is 1,595, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Louisiana has the highest rate in the United States at 2,906. Vermont is lowest at 237.
There had been nearly 5.2 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 168,181 deaths from the virus in the United States as of Friday evening, according to Johns Hopkins University. More than 761,000 people have died from the disease worldwide.
This story was originally published August 14, 2020 at 4:21 PM.
