Coronavirus updates: More than 100 cases reported at state prison
This page includes coronavirus developments around Washington state for Sunday, June 14.
Updated at 4:10 p.m.
The Washington State Department of Health on Sunday reported 296 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and four additional deaths.
Statewide totals have reached 25,834 cases and 1,217 deaths, up from 25,538 cases and 1,204 deaths on Saturday.
King County continues to be the hardest hit with 8,722 cases and 591 deaths. Yakima County has 5,384 cases and 120 deaths while Snohomish County has 3,136 cases and 156 deaths. Pierce County reported 19 new cases and no deaths on Sunday, bringing its totals to 2,125 cases and 83 deaths.
Garfield, the state’s least populous county, remains the only county without a reported case. Six other counties are reporting fewer than 10 cases each.
There are 48 cases that have not been assigned to a county.
There were 16 people with confirmed cases of COVID-19 admitted to state hospitals on June 6, the most recent date with complete data. The total number of people who have been hospitalized in the state stood at 3,856 on Sunday.
There have been 462,602 tests conducted in the state with 5.6% 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.
Pierce County reports 19 new cases
Updated at 2:45 p.m.
Pierce County reported 19 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Sunday and no additional deaths.
The county’s totals are now at 2,125 cases and 83 deaths.
Pierce County had 180 new cases in the last 14 days, an average of 20 new cases each day. There have been 12.9 new cases per 100,000 residents during the past 14 days, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department website says.
As of Saturday, the county reported an estimated 340 active cases.
Daily case totals can change as the county receives new information about cases, finds duplicate data or is assigned cases originally attributed to other counties.
There have been 33,504 tests conducted in the county with positive results at 6.4%, according to the state Department of Health.
That total does not include negative tests from long-term care facilities or the 87,000 tests not yet assigned to a county.
Sunday’s geographical case totals are listed below with Saturday’s totals in parentheses:
▪ Bonney Lake: 48 (no change)
▪ Central Pierce County: 149 (147)
▪ East Pierce County: 59 (no change)
▪ Edgewood/Fife/Milton: 97 (96)
▪ Frederickson: 70 (no change)
▪ Gig Harbor area: 46 (55)
▪ Graham: 70 (69)
▪ JBLM: No longer reported
▪ Key Peninsula: 8 (7)
▪ Lake Tapps/Sumner area: 55 (53)
▪ Lakewood: 219 (217)
▪ Parkland: 129 (no change)
▪ Puyallup: 151 (150)
▪ South Hill: 107 (no change)
▪ South Pierce County: 40 (no change)
▪ Southwest Pierce County: 22 (no change)
▪ Spanaway: 70 (69)
▪ Tacoma: 683 (678)
▪ University Place: 80 (78)
▪ Unknown: 12 (no change)
Daily reports include cases received by 11:59 p.m. the previous day.
Infections increasing in eastern, western Washington state
Updated at 8:55 a.m.
The Washington Department of Health says coronavirus infections are on the increase in the eastern and western sides of the state.
The situation report says state epidemiologists have seen a particularly large increases in Benton, Yakima, Spokane and Franklin counties, but said the latest data through the end of May indicates likely increases in infections across the state.
The results, the report says, includes increases in coronavirus transmission over Memorial Day weekend, but not infections that may have occurred during recent protests that have drawn tens of thousands of people together in cities and towns across the state.
The Seattle Times reports that Gov. Jay Inslee warned that the report indicates that “cases and deaths will soon increase substantially if COVID-19 continues to spread at the current levels.”
“Washingtonians have done the hard work to flatten the curve on COVID-19 and we know this has been tremendously difficult for families, businesses and communities over the past few months,” the governor said.
He said outbreaks in Benton, Franklin and Yakima counties are of “particular concern” and said he joined scientists and health and political leaders in those communities during a conference Saturday.
The DOH report states that six Washington counties — Yakima, Klickitat, Benton, Franklin, Spokane and Stevens — have not yet reached their peak number of COVID-19 cases.
More than 100 COVID-19 cases reported at Washington state prison
Updated at 8:55 a.m.
A prison in Washington state is restricting movement in its medium-security unit after more than 100 officers and inmates tested positive for COVID-19.
More than 1,800 of the 2,248 inmates at Coyote Ridge Corrections Center are in quarantine because of potential exposure to the coronavirus, the state Department of Corrections said.
The announcement came after 30 corrections officers and 71 inmates tested positive, department officials said, adding that another 33 people exhibited potential symptoms.
“The health and safety of Corrections staff, the incarcerated individuals, and the citizens in the community remains our top priority,” department secretary Stephen Sinclair said.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and lead to death.
The department told The Spokesman-Review earlier this week that there are no plans to test all inmates but that the rate of testing for symptomatic people has increased.
Coyote Ridge, located in Connell about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southwest of Spokane, has minimum- and medium-security units. The minimum-security unit is not on restricted movement, officials said.
Restrictions are necessary because of “the number of positive cases of COVID-19 and the limited access to emergency medical services and hospital care nearby,” Sinclair said.
Food production and textile work was also suspended at the facility. The prison is now working with outside vendors to feed inmates.
State reports 367 new cases on Saturday
Updated at 8:55 a.m.
The Washington State Department of Health reported 367 new COVID-19 cases and nine deaths Saturday.
Statewide totals have reached 25,538 cases and 1,213 deaths, up from 25,171 cases and 1,204 deaths Friday.
King County remains the hardest hit with 8,694 cases and 591 deaths, while Yakima County has 5,265 cases and 117 deaths and Snohomish County has 3,129 cases and 156 deaths.
Pierce County reported 14 new cases Saturday, bringing its totals to 2,106 cases and 83 deaths.
Benton County is the fifth in the state to report more than 1,000 cases with 1,106 as of Saturday.
Eighteen of the state’s 39 counties have reported more than 100 cases, and 11 counties have reported at least 10 virus-related deaths.
Garfield, the state’s least populous county, remains the only county without a reported case. Six other counties are reporting fewer than 10 cases each.
There are 33 cases that have not been assigned to a county.
There were 24 people with confirmed cases of COVID-19 admitted to state hospitals on June 5, the most recent date with complete data. The total number of people who have been hospitalized in the state stood at 3,845 on Saturday.
There have been 450,146 tests conducted in the state with 5.7% 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.
This story was originally published June 14, 2020 at 8:59 AM with the headline "Coronavirus updates: More than 100 cases reported at state prison."
