Record-breaking 88 new COVID-19 cases on Friday stem mostly from community spread
The spike in COVID-19 transmissions rose higher Friday when Thurston County reported a record-breaking 88 new COVID-19 cases on Friday.
It was the third time in a week that daily case totals have been record highs. Prior to this week, the most cases reported in a single day was 47 cases on Oct. 16, according to Thurston County Public Health and Social Services.
Then this week: 62 on Tuesday, 47 on Wednesday, 51 on Thursday, and 88 on Friday.
Very few of Friday’s cases are related to ongoing long-term care facility outbreaks, said Thurston County Health Officer Dr. Dimyana Abdelmalek in a video posted to YouTube Friday afternoon. Rather, they’re coming from social gatherings.
“The majority of these cases are spread within our community,” Abdelmalek said. “This includes spread within households and spread within close community contacts as well as private gatherings.”
There already have been 271 new confirmed cases this week, far surpassing last week’s record-setting weekly high of 189 cases and with the weekend numbers yet to come. Wait times for drive-thru COVID tests have been as long as five hours this week, indicating case numbers will continue to grow.
As Thanksgiving approaches, Dr. Abdelmalek echoed Gov. Jay Inslee in encouraging people to stay home and not attend family gatherings.
“Going into the holidays it is absolutely essential that we limit our gatherings to just household members and rely on virtual means to connect with friends and loved ones outside of our homes,” Abdelmalek said.
“I know I will be connecting with my family virtually as well,” she added.
The county continues to report 12 congregate care setting outbreaks. Eleven of the 12 have been identified as four adult family homes, four nursing home and three assisted living facilities, the data show.
In the region
▪ Pierce County on Friday announced 180 new cases and one new death, a man in his 70s from East Pierce County. The county has now reported 12,339 cases and 208 deaths.
▪ Grays Harbor County added six cases as of Thursday night, giving the county 840 cases with 15 deaths.
▪ Lewis County reported nine new cases on Thursday for a total of 793 cases and 12 deaths.
▪ Mason County reported 20 additional cases on Thursday for a total of 652 with 10 deaths.
Around the state, nation and world
The state Department of Health on Friday reported a record-high 2,142 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 12 deaths. The previous record of 1,770 was set on Nov. 7.
The state now has reported 125,498 cases and 2,519 deaths.
The U.S. had reported more than 10.8 million cases and more than 245,000 deaths as of Saturday, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
Globally, 53.7 million cases had been reported and more than 1.3 million people had died as of Saturday, the data show.
This story was originally published November 13, 2020 at 4:54 PM.
.jpg)