Washington’s Coronavirus Death Toll Surpasses 1,800

SEATTLE, WA — Health officials reported 543 new coronavirus cases and 24 additional deaths in Washington on Tuesday. Per the latest data, at least 68,264 patients have tested positive in Washington since the crisis began, and 1,809 patients have died from complications linked to COVID-19.

A day earlier, state health officials said system maintenence interfered with some data reporting over the weekend, leading to a likely underreporting of new cases Monday.

At least 4,074 new illnesses have been confirmed in Washington over the last seven days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s case tracker. The latest figures continue to show improvement in the daily number of illnesses reported. However, much of the state’s counties still show a rate of cases by population much higher than the target threshold of 25 cases per 100,000 residents over 14 days.

The state Department of Health is in the process of changing how it reports negative tests, which will soon reflect all negative results, including those recorded among people tested multiple times. Until the upgrade is complete — expected next week — updated information on positive and negative tests is unavailable.

Washington Department of Health launches voluntary ‘CORONA’ survey

State health officials are beginning a new survey geared to help public health departments across Washington make coronavirus recovery plans tailored specifically to community needs.

The Community Recovery-Oriented Needs Assessment, or CORONA, asks volunteers to answer questions about how the ongoing pandemic has impacted them, ranging from behavioral and economic impacts to social and emotional. According to the state, all information is kept confidential, and no personal details are required to participate. Three participants will be randomly chosen to receive a $100 Amazon gift code every week.

The Department of Health said the state will need “broad participation” to adequately inform plans moving forward on both the state and local levels.

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An online survey is available in English, Spanish, Somali, Russian, Tagalog and Vietnamese. Residents may also participate by phone at 855-530-5787.

New report finds increased food insecurity during COVID-19

A new public health report on food insecurity found a growing number of households with not enough food to eat since the coronavirus pandemic and related closures began.

Public Health – Seattle & King County found food security almost doubled after strict COVID-19 containment strategies were implemented. By June, approximately 9 percent of adults surveyed in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties said their homes did not have enough food for the week. Approximately half of those households said they couldn’t afford to purchase more food, and many reported job losses or expected job losses related to the pandemic response.

According to public health officials, the number of King County households receiving SNAP benefits also increased by 18 percent between January and June.

Last month, King County authorized $4.8 million in added funding to support food assistance programs, providing grants to help organizations distribute food to those in need and scale up their infrastructure. Applications are due by Aug. 25.

Total coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths by county:

The above numbers are provided by the state Department of Health, and some numbers differ from the totals provided separately by county health agencies.

This article originally appeared on the Redmond Patch