Washington state reports 480 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday and 2 deaths
The Washington state Department of Health reported Wednesday 480 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and two deaths
Pierce County reported 64 cases Wednesday and two new deaths. Pierce County has a total of 176 deaths likely caused by COVID-19 as of Wednesday, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.
Statewide totals from the illness caused by the coronavirus are at 87,522 cases and 2,126 deaths, up from 87,042 cases and 2,124 deaths Tuesday. Washington’s population is estimated at about 7.6 million, according to U.S. Census figures from July 2019.
Thirty people with confirmed COVID-19 cases were admitted to Washington state hospitals on Sept. 11, the most recent date with complete data. Late March had two days with 88 people admitted, the highest numbers to date during the pandemic.
On Sept. 19, the most recent date with complete data, 9,417 specimens were collected statewide, with 3.3% testing positive. The average positive test rate for the seven days prior was 3.2%. More than 1.8 million tests have been conducted in Washington.
The test numbers reflect only polymerase chain reaction tests, which are administered while the virus is presumably still active in the body.
King County continues to have the highest numbers in Washington, with 22,367 cases and 761 deaths. Yakima County is second, with 11,431 cases and 262 deaths. Pierce is third with cases at 8,064.
All counties in Washington have cases. Ten counties have case counts of fewer than 100.
On Wednesday, Washington had a 1,155-per-100,000-people case rate. The national rate is 2,166, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Louisiana has the highest rate in the United States at 3,580. Vermont is lowest at 279.
There had been more than 7.2 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 206,825 deaths from the virus in the United States as of Wednesday afternoon, according to Johns Hopkins University.
The United States has the highest number of reported cases and deaths of any nation. More than 1 million people have died from the disease worldwide. Global cases exceed 33 million.
This story was originally published September 30, 2020 at 4:12 PM.
