Mike Stucka USA TODAY NETWORK | Kitsap Sun
Washington state reported far fewer coronavirus cases in the week ending Sunday, adding 6,004 new cases. That’s down 17.9% from the previous week’s tally of 7,309 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Washington ranked 12th among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the latest week coronavirus cases in the United States increased 5% from the week before, with 219,630 cases reported. With 2.29% of the country’s population, Washington had 2.73% of the country’s cases in the last week. Across the country, 16 states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.
Washington state on March 4 reported it was clearing a backlog of cases, deaths and hospitalizations. This will skew week-to-week comparisons.
Kitsap County reported 127 cases and three deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 166 cases and three deaths. Throughout the pandemic, it has reported 39,076 cases and 333 deaths.
Mason County reported 63 cases and two deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 48 cases and two deaths. Throughout the pandemic, it has reported 12,236 cases and 137 deaths.
Across Washington state, cases fell in 21 counties, with the best declines in Pierce County, with 738 cases from 1,178 a week earlier; in Spokane County, with 412 cases from 754; and in Cowlitz County, with 120 cases from 238.
>> See how your community has fared with recent coronavirus cases
Washington state ranked 17th among states in the share of people receiving at least one shot, with 80.2% of its residents at least partially vaccinated. The national rate is 76.9%, a USA TODAY analysis of CDC data shows. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which are the most used in the United States, require two doses administered a few weeks apart.
In the week ending Sunday, Washington state reported administering another 42,313 vaccine doses, including 8,376 first doses. In the previous week, the state administered 40,148 vaccine doses, including 8,473 first doses. In all, Washington reported it has administered 14,025,225 total doses.
Within Washington state, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Pacific County with 369 cases per 100,000 per week; Kittitas County with 273; and Clark County with 163. The Centers for Disease Control says high levels of community transmission begin at 100 cases per 100,000 per week.
Adding the most new cases overall were King County, with 1,710 cases; Clark County, with 798 cases; and Pierce County, with 738. Weekly case counts rose in 17 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week’s pace were in Kittitas, Pacific and Thurston counties.
In Washington state, 99 people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, 150 people were reported dead.
A total of 1,451,227 people in Washington have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 12,432 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States, 79,954,418 people have tested positive and 976,702 people have died.
>> Track coronavirus cases across the United States
Washington’s COVID-19 hospital admissions staying flat
USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, March 27.
Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:
- Last week: 1,697
- The week before that: 1,690
- Four weeks ago: 1,903
Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:
- Last week: 39,713
- The week before that: 41,915
- Four weeks ago: 66,508
Hospitals in three states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in six states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 16 states admitted more COVID-19 patients in the latest week than a week prior, the USA TODAY analysis of U.S. Health and Human Services data shows.
The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from Johns Hopkins University and the Centers for Disease Control. If you have questions about the data or the story, contact Mike Stucka at mstucka@gannett.com.
