Newest COVID response updates from State Health Dept.

||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH |||

Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 413,046 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on June 23. There have been 5,898 COVID-19 deaths in Washington.

For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit the Department of Health’s dashboard and the state’s Roadmap to Recovery Metrics dashboard. 

Data note: Beginning July 1, DOH will report new COVID-19 epidemiological data to the DOH COVID-19 dashboard Monday–Friday, instead of seven days a week. This transition is a milestone toward more sustainable COVID-19 reporting and a response to recent declines in COVID-19 disease activity, hospitalizations, and deaths.

Reminder: July 3–5 is a holiday weekend. We will not update the COVID-19 dashboard or produce the morning reconciliation tables and the daily epidemiological report on the weekend or Independence Day (Observed), July 5. Daily and cumulative COVID-19 data can be viewed on the COVID-19 dashboard and risk assessment dashboard.

Gov. Jay Inslee’s June 24 press conference. The governor provided an update on the state’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was joined by the Week 3 winner of the “Shot of a Lifetime” $250,000 prize; Umair Shah, secretary of health; and Nick Streuli, executive director of external affairs, Office of the Governor. View the press conference here.

June 23 COVID-19 media briefing. Secretary of Health Umair Shah provided an update on the state’s COVID-19 response. He was joined by Scott Lindquist, acting state health officer; SheAnne Allen, COVID-19 vaccine director; and Mary Alison Koehnke, naturopathic physician and board-certified naturopathic pediatrician. View the briefing here.

Updated guidance document from DOH. Creating Safer Air Movement for Cooling with Consideration of COVID-19 provides guidance on safer ways to create air movement for cooling when air conditioning units and a central HVAC system are not available. See DOH’s Hot Weather Safety page for additional information.

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 June 23 report here.

Case investigation and contact tracing metrics for DOH centralized investigations. This weekly report shows the timeliness of reaching COVID-19 confirmed and probable cases and their contacts for case investigations and contact tracing activities. Read the full June 23 report here.

COVID-19 long-term care report. As of June 21, a total of 20,665 COVID-19 cases and 2,651 deaths have been identified as associated or likely associated with a long-term care facility (such as nursing home, assisted living facility, or adult family home). These cases include residents as well as employees and visitors. Read the full June 22 report here.

Inslee announces eviction moratorium “bridge.” Gov. Jay Inslee announced a “bridge” proclamation between the eviction moratorium and the housing stability programs put in place by the Legislature. The bridge is in effect July 1 through Sept. 30. Read the full news release here.