Washington state reaches 20,000 COVID-19 cases, reports 9 new deaths Monday
The Washington State Department of Health on Monday reported 237 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and nine deaths as of midnight Sunday.
Pierce County reported seven new cases and no new deaths Monday.
Statewide totals from the illness caused by the coronavirus are at 20,065 cases and 1,070 deaths, up from 19,828 cases and 1,061 deaths on Sunday.
The total number of people who have been hospitalized in Washington state with a confirmed case of COVID-19 is 3,290. Thirteen people with confirmed COVID-19 cases were admitted to Washington state hospitals on May 17, the most recent date with complete data. March 23 saw 88 admittances, the highest number to date during the pandemic.
Washington state has conducted 330,598 coronavirus tests, with 6.1 percent coming back positive. 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.
There have been more than 1.6 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and 98,034 deaths from the virus in the United States as of Monday, according to Johns Hopkins University. More than 344,000 people have died from the disease worldwide.
King County continues to have the highest numbers, with 7,826 cases and 550 deaths. Snohomish County has 2,904 cases and 136 deaths.
Washington’s least populous county, Garfield, remains the only one in the state without a case. There are 62 cases that haven’t been assigned a county.
A total of 21 counties have been approved to move to the second phase of Gov. Jay Inslee’s reopening plan: Adams, Asotin, Columbia, Cowlitz, Ferry, Garfield, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, Lewis, Lincoln, Mason, Pacific, Pend Orielle, San Juan, Skamania, Spokane, Stevens, Wahkiakum and Whitman. Clallam, Kitsap and Thurston counties are eligible to apply for a variance.
Counties must “have an average of less than 10 new cases per 100,000 residents over a 14-day period,” according to the state DOH.
This story was originally published May 25, 2020 at 4:30 PM.
