Newest COVID facts, numbers from State Health Dept.

||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH |||

Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 1,479,599 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on April 19. There have been 12,650 COVID-19 deaths in Washington.

Data note: DOH is still experiencing delays in reporting cases, hospitalizations, and deaths as a result of prior slowdowns in our data systems during the omicron surge. We are clearing these backlogged cases, hospitalizations, and deaths as resources permit. The COVID-19 Epidemiological Curves tab is the most accurate representation of COVID-19 activity and is updated daily as new cases are identified and duplicates are resolved.

For the most recent number of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit the Department of Health’s dashboard.

Note: As of March 31, 2022, DOH will publish this bulletin on Thursdays only, and only if there is significant new information to share.

April 20 COVID-19 response update media briefing. Secretary of Health Umair A. Shah provided an update on the state’s COVID-19 response. He was joined by Dr. Scott Lindquist, state epidemiologist for communicable diseases, DOH; Lacy Fehrenbach, deputy secretary, DOH; and Michele Roberts, assistant secretary, DOH. View the briefing.

Department of Health updates COVID-19 data dashboard to be more user friendly. The new dashboard format makes it easier for the public to access and understand the data provided, and integrates a new way of recording age-related testing data. Read the full April 20 news release.

Updated DOH guidance documents:

• Interim SARS-CoV-2 Self-Testing Guidance for Establishments is an updated version of the guidance previously called Self-Testing Guidance for Employers. Updates include guidance from the Washington Medical Test Site Program on Medical Test Site License requirements. These changes describe how establishments may use self-tests approved by the Food and Drug Administration for “over-the-counter” or home use without a Medical Test Site/Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) license, as long as the tested individuals (or parents/guardians) perform and interpret the self-tests.

• Guidance for Non-Healthcare Businesses and Organizations during COVID-19
• What to do if you test positive for COVID-19 and What to do if you were potentially exposed to someone with COVID-19 include minor technical changes to link to CDC guidance on travel, DOH’s isolation and quarantine calculator tool, and information on Care Connect Washington resources.

Reported COVID-19 reinfections in Washington state. This weekly report includes information on hospitalizations and deaths, demographics, trends over time, and vaccination status of people with a reinfection where DOH has information about both infection events. Read the full April 20 report.

COVID-19 cases among children and youth in Washington. This weekly report provides information on COVID-19 in all children and youth, ages 0 to 19 years. Cases are broken down by educational service district (ESD) regions and age. Read the full April 20 report in English and in Spanish.

DOH SARS-CoV-2 sequencing and variants report. This weekly report summarizes genome sequencing coverage of Washington SARS-CoV-2 specimens from multiple laboratories from across the United States and our state. It provides a statewide view of sequencing capacity and data, including breakouts by county and demographics. Read the full April 20 report.

SARS-CoV-2 vaccine breakthrough surveillance and case information resource. This weekly report provides data and criteria on fully vaccinated people who test positive with SARS-CoV-2 and may or may not develop COVID-19 symptoms. Read the full April 20 report.

COVID-19 morbidity and mortality by race, ethnicity, and spoken language in Washington state. This bimonthly report provides an overview of confirmed or probable COVID-19 case, hospitalization, and death rates by race and ethnicity at state and regional levels. It also provides counts and percentages of confirmed or probable cases and hospitalizations by primary language spoken. Read the full April 19 report. 

Resources

Get a vaccine, exposure notifications, COVID-19 testing, and proof of vaccination. Use the DOH vaccine locator to help end the pandemic. Next, get WA Notify so you’ll know if you’ve been near another WA Notify user who later tests positive for COVID-19. To get quickly and easily tested anywhere in Washington, visit the DOH COVID-19 testing locations page. For K-12 students, staff, and parents/guardians, learn more about our partnership that helps schools provide easy COVID-19 testing on site. Once vaccinated, you can provide your vaccination status using WA Verify.

Care Connect Washington assistance. Care Connect provides food and other support to people who test positive for COVID-19 so they can isolate at home. People who have been exposed to the virus and are actively quarantining are also eligible. Making it easier for people to stay home helps slow the spread of the illness. Call the COVID-19 Information Hotline at 1-800-525-0127, then press #. Language assistance is available. The hotline hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday, and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and observed state holidays.

Latest COVID-19 reopening guidance for businesses and workers. See a full list of current reopening guidance from the Governor’s Office.

Guidance and resources for employers and business owners. Sign up for the Economic and Business Resilience Newsletter.

The state COVID-19 Assistance Hotline is a general information line related to COVID-19. If you need information or have a general question, call 1-800-525-0127, then press # or text 211-211 for help. New hours of operation are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday, and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and on observed state holidays. You can also text the word “Coronavirus” to 211-211 to receive information and updates on your phone wherever you are. You will receive links to the latest information on COVID-19, including county-level updates, and resources for families, businesses, students, and more.

Washington Listens helps people manage stress and anxiety they may be experiencing because of COVID-19. If you or anyone you know is having difficulties managing stress, call the Washington Listens support line at 1-833-681-0211. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. TTY and language access services are available by using 7-1-1 or their preferred method. See resources and self-help tips from Washington Listens.