While state health officials warn that Washington is in an “explosive” situation with the spread of the new coronavirus, Yakima County continues to show positive signs.
“Transmission continues to increase or accelerate in most of Washington state and will continue to do so unless concrete steps are taken to stop the spread,” according to a report released by the state Department of Health. “All indicators of the extent of viral spread are higher than last week, with the exception of Yakima (County).”
The researchers noted that the Yakima transmission number, an estimate of how many people each person will infect with COVID-19, was 0.94, a little higher than the previous report showing Yakima County at 0.93, which according to the authorities suggests the sudden fall of Yakima, the value was 2 at the beginning of June – it stagnated.
But the number is lower than the total for eastern Washington, which is 1.41. Western Washington is at 1.54.
The report notes that Yakima County has shown a marked decrease in coronavirus transmission due to increased use of face masks, while Spokane County has seen a rapid spread. Yakima Health District officials have reported that about 95% of people observed in public wear masks.
“Recent progress in Yakima highlights that near-universal public masking is a critical part of regaining control of the epidemic, in addition to physical distancing and limitation of social contacts and reunion,” the report said.
The Centers for Disease Control says that masks are most effective when worn over the nose and mouth and secured under the chin. Having an exposed nose makes the mask ineffective.
Researchers from the Bellevue Disease Modeling Institute, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and Microsoft partnered with DOH in the report.
COVID-19 Numbers
Yakima Health District officials reported an additional 156 cases of COVID-19 in the county on Saturday, with 45 cases of that total coming from an import of data from Indigenous Health Services.
The Indian Health Services numbers come from rapid test kits that were reported to the state Health Department from May 20 to July 10, but were not identified as residents of Yakima County until recently. The local health district added those numbers to the total count on Thursday and Saturday.
The total number of COVID-19 cases in Yakima County since mid-March is 9,431, with 6,526 people recovered.
No additional deaths were reported, with the number of deaths remaining at 179. Thirty people were hospitalized on Saturday with COVID-19, with two intubated.
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