(Image: latest state situation report from the Washington State Department of Health)
Coronavirus cases are emerging across the country. In Seattle and King County, even as restrictions loosen after months of “stay home” lockdown, authorities say there is also a rise in sick people and new challenges in “progress to zero” initiatives “to end the spread of the virus.
Positive cases reported by Public Health increased about 50% compared to the beginning of June. Yes, testing has also increased with Seattle and King County residents seeking evidence at rates of around 2,000 to 3,000 per day. The most recent positive rate, the percentage of those who test positive for the virus from those who have been tested, has reached more than 6% this week, a step back to the state of affairs a month or more ago. In zip codes, which cover Capitol Hill and the Central District, the increase so far has been less severe: positive cases increased about 12% in an area of the city where people have been looking for evidence at higher rates than typical.
“Recent cases are from all areas of the county, with the largest increase in new cases in young adults and Seattle residents,” the county bulletin reads of the increase. “At this point, no specific site or risk factor has been identified as the cause of the increase.”
Earlier this month, authorities said there did not appear to be an increase in infections due to Seattle’s massive crowds and protest activities in June when King County entered a second phase of lifting social distancing and restrictions. commercial.
A major factor in the recent surge in King County, officials say from data gathered during contact-finding efforts, is that people get sick and don’t immediately isolate:
Health officials say the trackers are discovering that most people are waiting too long to isolate themselves, saying that only 21% of the people they contacted isolated themselves the day they first developed symptoms. More than half are waiting until they are tested. On average, there is a 3-day gap between the time symptoms develop and when a person is tested.
Here is the county overview of COVID-19 symptoms:
People with COVID-19 have reported a wide range of symptoms, from mild symptoms to serious illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19: fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or discharge nasal, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea. This list is not all possible symptoms. Consult your medical provider for any other symptoms that are serious or worrisome to you.
Face masks continue to be an important factor in staying healthy. “The virus that causes COVID-19 is spread primarily by the drops you breathe out when you’re normally breathing, as well as when you talk, sing, cough, or sneeze,” writes the Washington State Department of Health in a “mask science.” to update. “These drops can float in the air and infect people close to you.”
Earlier this month, Seattle announced a new free trial initiative that has added two mobile clinics, one north of Aurora and one on SoDo, as well as expanded recommendations for who should look for a test that includes anyone experiencing mild symptoms or you have even had a brief exposure to someone who is sick or tested positive.
Concern about the continued spread of the virus prompted state officials to order the mask mandates across Washington that began Friday.
Here is the latest status report (PDF) from the Washington State Department of Health documenting the increase in COVID-19 in western and eastern Washington.
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