Coronavirus updates: State reaches 77,545 cases
Updated at 9:10 a.m.
The Washington State Department of Health on Monday reported 310 new confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Pierce County reported 30 new cases and no new deaths on Monday. Pierce County had a total of 155 deaths likely caused by COVID-19 as of Sunday, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.
Statewide totals from the illness caused by the coronavirus are at 77,545 cases and 1,953 deaths, up from 76,836 cases on Friday.
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 20,326 cases and 736 deaths. Yakima County is second, with 11,071 cases and 243 deaths.
Pierce is third with cases at 7,104, according to the Tacoma Pierce-County Health Department.
All counties in Washington have cases. Garfield and Wahkiakum have case counts of fewer than 10.
6 Oregon and 2 Washington inmates die of COVID-19
Updated at 9:10 a.m.
Six prisoners in Oregon have now died after testing positive for COVID-19, while two inmates in Washington state have died from the disease.
KVAL reports an Oregon Department of Corrections adult in custody died on September 6, 2020. He was incarcerated at the Snake River Correctional Institution and passed away in a local hospital.
He tested positive for COVID-19. He was between 60 and 70 years old. As with all in-custody deaths, the Oregon State Police have been notified and the Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death. This is the sixth AIC to die who tested positive for COVID-19.
The Washington state Department of Corrections reports two inmates have died and 449 have tested positive. The deaths were at the Coyote Ridge Correctional Center.
One staff member in Washington state died of the disease and 156 workers tested positive.
Face masks can cause dry eyes, doctors say. Here’s how to get relief
Updated at 9:10 a.m.
Face masks help to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, but wearing them may also lead to an uncomfortable side effect.
Some people who regularly wear face coverings have reported having dry, irritated eyes, the Centre for Ocular Research & Education in Canada said last month in a news release. Health experts call the condition mask-associated dry eye (MADE).
When someone wears a loose-fitting mask, air released from the body can go upwards, doctors say. That expelled air can dry out the eye over time, leading to discomfort, University of Utah researchers said in an Ophthalmology and Therapy article published in July.
“Some doctors have also noted that the masks can pull down the lower eyelids slightly, making it difficult for normal blinking to restore the healthy surface of the eye,” Dr. Aditya Kanesa-thasan of Willis Eye Hospital in Pennsylvania told Health magazine.
People with itchy eyes may rub them with their hands, creating the potential for the coronavirus infection to enter the body, according to health experts.
Doctors say there are ways to prevent dry eyes, but ditching your face covering isn’t one of them.
“Responsibly wearing a mask, even when having to contend with eye dryness, is a critical part of overcoming the global pandemic,” Dr. Lyndon Jones, director of the Centre for Ocular Research & Education, said in the press release. “The good news is that we understand MADE and can address it.”
To help prevent dry eyes, Jones’ center encourages people to wear masks properly.
That means having a mask that fits, especially when wearing glasses, doctors say.
“Masks with a pliable nose-wire should be used, with attention toward fitting the shape of the wire to prevent air being directed toward the eyes,” University of Utah researchers said in their article, which reviewed past studies. “Masks can also be taped at the top to impede upward airflow.”
People who are experiencing dryness also can use eye drops and try blinking exercises, according to researchers. Other tips for getting relief are to reduce the amount of time spent in air conditioning, in front of a screen or behind a mask, health experts say.
This story was originally published September 8, 2020 at 9:11 AM.
