Tag Archives: COVID Cases

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Leaders Celebrate COVID-19 Response, Push Vaccine Access in South King County

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by Elizabeth Turnbull

On Thursday, leaders at the local and national level gathered at the Rainier Beach COVID-19 vaccination site where they urged Seattle residents to get vaccinated and addressed the city’s evolution since becoming one of the first outbreaks of the virus in the U.S.

“A lot of people lost loved ones, a lot of people lost jobs, a lot of people lost hope, [this] felt like a long dark tunnel and today we are here in the light,” Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal said at the briefing. “For months now we’ve been saying you’ve got to sign up for appointments, you have to wait your turn, you have to wait for your age group. That is not the case anymore.”

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As COVID-19 Variants Spread in State, Seattle Adds Walk-Up Vaccines for Ages 60+

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by Ashley Archibald

Health officials called on Washingtonians to remain vigilant against the coronavirus during an online press conference Wednesday, April 21, citing an increase in COVID-19 cases in most counties and age groups as new, more transmissible variants take hold in Washington state.

People between ages 10 and 59 have seen the sharpest jump in cases, said Dr. Umair Shah, secretary of the Washington State Department of Health (DOH). The state has now reported more than 361,000 cases of COVID-19 and more than 5,400 deaths.

“We are close to turning the corner in the state of Washington, but we are seeing the beginning of a fourth wave. That means people need to hang on longer,” Shah said.

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County Faces Steep Decline in Available Vaccines, Youth Sports Teams See Outbreaks

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by Carolyn Bick

There appear to be a small, but growing number of COVID-19 outbreaks among youth sports teams in King County, most of which have occurred in the South End. As of this writing, there have been 10 outbreaks this year, sickening 34 youths and eight adults.

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New COVID Cases Outpacing Vaccinations, Highest Among 18 to 24-Year-Olds

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by Carolyn Bick

Even as Washingtonians mark their calendars for April 15, the day  everyone aged 16 and older in the state will be able to get vaccinated, the viral storm clouds on the horizon are growing darker.

In the last week, the average daily COVID case rate in King County alone has risen to 250 new cases per day, Public Health — Seattle & King County (PHSKC) Public Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin told listeners in an April 2 press conference. This represents a 26% increase from the week before, and an 86% overall increase from the beginning of this most recent rise, which likely represents a fourth wave beginning, Duchin said.

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King County May Be Skating on Thin COVID Ice, Public Health Officer Says

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by Carolyn Bick

With Washington State entering Phase 3 and increasing COVID-19 cases — including brand-new variants of concern — both within King County and throughout the state, Public Health Seattle & King County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin said that the proverbial ice Washingtonians are skating on is “beginning to crack a bit beneath us.” He predicted a fourth wave may now be beginning.

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COVID Case Rate Slightly Increases in King County, COVID Financial Assistance Available

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by Carolyn Bick

Cases of COVID-19 have slightly increased over the past two weeks in King County, which could be an indicator of the “storm clouds on the horizon” that Public Health – Seattle & King County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin has been warning the public about throughout late February and March.

“We still have a serious threat,” Duchin said during an online Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHSKC) press briefing on Friday, March 19. “We can’t give up on it now. As my friend Mike Osterholm says, ‘It’s too late to tap the breaks after your car is wrapped around the tree.’”

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One Year After First COVID-19 Outbreak, County Health Officials Cautiously Optimistic

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by Andrew Engelson

Nearly one year after the first outbreak of COVID-19 in King County and the nation, public health officials and King County Executive Dow Constantine say they are cautiously optimistic about the spread of the virus. Effective prevention measures combined with slow but steadily increasing vaccinations have the potential to “put the pandemic in the rear view mirror,” said Public Health Officer Dr. Jeffrey Duchin in an online press briefing on Friday. But concerns remain, including the discovery of two new SARS-CoV-2 strains in the county, and pressure among those tiring of restrictions to let up on prevention strategies such as masking and limits on gatherings.In addition, inequitable access to vaccines remains a concern.

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King County Commits $7 Million to Increased Vaccination Efforts, Won’t Change Jail COVID Protocols

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by Carolyn Bick

King County will be committing $7 million to ramp up vaccination efforts to prevent against COVID-19, with two high-volume vaccination sites slated for South King County in the near future, King County Executive Dow Constantine announced in a public health briefing on Jan. 8.

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State Avoids Post-Holiday Surge, Won’t Share Personal Information With Federal Government in Vaccination Plan

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by Carolyn Bick

Washington State has avoided a post-Thanksgiving surge in COVID-19 cases, but the state — particularly its hospital system — isn’t in the clear yet.

In a press conference on Dec. 16, Washington State Department of Health (DOH) Health Officer Dr. Kathy Lofy shared graphs from the DOH’s COVID-19 tracking dashboard that show case counts and hospitalizations, including ICU bed occupancy, are levelling off. The Emerald has shared these graphs below. But the trends aren’t yet level, and the state must go beyond just flattening the curve, DOH Health Sec. Dr. John Wiesman said.

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Even With Incoming Vaccine, PHSKC Warns Against Relaxing Masking, Social Distancing Practices

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by Carolyn Bick

Though a vaccine is on the way, the COVID-19 situation throughout the state, including in King County — particularly in South King County — appears as though it is going to get much worse, before it gets better.

In a press conference on Dec. 11, Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHSKC) Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin laid out the increasingly bad situation the County is facing. Over the past seven days, he said, the County has seen an average of 650 new cases of COVID-19 per day. The number of COVID-19-related deaths per day have ceased to gradually rise, and instead are rapidly rising, currently standing at seven deaths per day. This is up from two deaths per day in September. 

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