Latest WA Coronavirus Report Shows Fewer Cases, Jump In Deaths

The latest federal report on Washington's coronavirus situation includes more welcome news for case counts, testing positivity rates and hospitalizations during the second week of February, but also found a notable increase in deaths compared with the week before.

The state profiles are assembled every week and distributed by the White House's COVID-19 Team, helping the public keep track of each state's progress in fighting the pandemic. Wednesday's report focused on the trends between Feb. 5 and Feb. 12.

Highlights include another 19 percent drop in case counts, with just under 7,800 reported over seven days, and a 23 percent drop in hospital admissions for patients with confirmed COVID-19 illnesses, with 389 reported across the state. However, reported deaths were increased 38 percent last week, totaling 226.

Despite steady progress across Washington since early January, state officials warn transmission rates must fall further to avoid a potentially overwhelming resurgence as more infectious strains gain ground. The B117 variant, first recorded in the UK, is predicted to become dominant in the U.S. by the end of March.

According to Washington's risk assessment dashboard, the state's overall rate of new cases currently sits at about 238 per 100,000 residents, more than nine times higher than the target range.

Wednesday's report also includes an update on Washington's vaccination efforts through Sunday morning:

Total vaccine doses delivered: 1,437,825
1st doses administered: 870,853 (11.4% of the population)
Both doses administered: 281,718 (3.7% of the population)

The recent round of snowy weather impacted vaccination efforts over the weekend and played a role in delaying new shipments until Tuesday. The Washington State Department of Health is also prioritizing second doses through the end of the week, aiming to correct an imbalance resulting from late January. Officials said they anticipated first dose appointments would be extremely limited until next week.

Review Washington's full state profile report via HealthData.gov, and find the latest information on coronavirus across the state on the DOH dashboard.