Coronavirus cases in Washington up to 6,585 with 262 total deaths
The number of cases of COVID-19, the new coronavirus, continues to grow in Washington state as 6,585 were reported on Thursday, April 2, with 262 deaths.
The Washington State Department of Health released new numbers for the first time in several days, with the last reported numbers earlier this week at 5,984 cases and 247 deaths.
The new numbers, from late Wednesday, April 1, show a growth of 601 cases and 15 deaths.
The department attributes the delay in numbers being released to being overloaded with a lot of data at once.
King County currently has the most cases in the state, with 2,609 confirmed and 175 deaths. Snohomish County has 1,266 confirmed cases and 38 deaths reported as of Thursday.
The health department has conducted 79,418 tests since the outbreak began, with an 8.3% percent rate of positive tests.
The most cases are in patients aged 40-59, who represent 34% of the cases overall. Six percent of all people who have died from coronavirus in the state are in this age group.
The next most affected age group is those from 60-79, who are responsible for 27% of overall cases. Thirty-seven percent of all people who have died from coronavirus in the state are in this age group.
Patients aged 80-plus represent 11% of overall cases. Fifty-five percent of people who have died from coronavirus in the state are in this age group.
There are only five counties in Washington state that have yet to report a positive COVID-19 case: Asotin, Garfield, Pacific, Pend Oreille and Wahkiakum.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREHow we are reporting coronavirus cases
McClatchy’s four Washington news outlets — The News Tribune, The Olympian, The Bellingham Herald and The Tri-City Herald — report confirmed coronavirus cases as listed by the Washington Department of Health in its daily updates.
The state total includes all cases submitted by county health departments by 11:59 p.m. the previous day and is updated once a day by 6 p.m. on the DOH website. Its numbers only include the cases county health departments have reported directly to the state. In some cases, county health departments have reported cases publicly but not to the state health department by the daily deadline, leading to occasional discrepancies.
This story was originally published April 2, 2020 at 5:51 PM.