Lumen Field COVID-19 vaccination sign. (MyNorthwest Photo)
King County is planning just below the threshold to remain in phase 3, and the next re-evaluation date is May 3.
Business organizations are urging Governor Inslee to postpone the withdrawal decision
Dr. Jeff Duchin, a public health officer in Seattle and King County, said Friday that the 14-day incident rate was 198.5 per 100,000 residents, which is similar to last week and about twice the fall. -Winter.
Hospitalizations have increased since March. Duchin said last week that 97 King County residents were hospitalized with COVID-19, up 15 percent from the previous week.
He is currently hospitalized every hour and 45 minutes. The hospitalization rate is around 3.5 to 4 per 100,000 inhabitants per week, which is double what it was at the beginning of March.
The highest number of recent hospitalizations is among adults aged 40-69, Duchin said. The next age group is 20-39 years old.
To stay in phase 3, large counties must have 200 or fewer new cases per 100,000 residents in two weeks and five or fewer hospitalizations per 100,000 residents in the last week. Counties with a population of less than 50,000 must have 100 or fewer new cases within two weeks and three or fewer hospitalizations in the last week.
Governor Inslee announced Monday that Cowlitz, Pierce and Whitman counties will return to Phase 2 reopening. The three counties returned on Friday.
Governor Inslee defends the decision to bring three counties back to Phase 2
Previously, any county that did not meet one of these two criteria should return to Phase 2. Governor Inslee announced in early April that a county should now not meet both criteria before moving back.
Covid died
Weekly deaths have dropped dramatically since the fall-winter rise, according to Duchin. In the last week, 1-2 King County residents have died every day from COVID-19. This is compared to nine a day during the winter peak.
In the last 14 days, 9% of deaths are in the 25-49 age group, compared to 2% in general during the outbreak.
In the past 14 days, 27 percent of deaths were between the ages of 50 and 64, compared with 13 percent during the outbreak as a whole, Duchin said. The death rate has dropped for those over the age of 65 from 65% to 27% in the past two weeks.
Covid cases
Duchin says the county has known for almost two months without lowering the level of COVID-19. He says recent growth is likely due to the reopening of activities, combined with the presence of more infectious strains.
In terms of cases, the highest rates are among young people aged between 18 and 34, but each age group is on trend, except for those over 65 and under 5 years old.
Cases remain highest in cities in southern and southeastern King County, including Covington, Enumclaw, Auburn, Kent, Federal Way, Burien, Renton, Seatac and Tukwila.
“In the last 14 days, these places have doubled to triple the number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths compared to north and central Seattle, Shoreline, Eastside and Vashon Island,” Duchin said.
Vaccination in King County
On Thursday, 51 percent of King County residents over the age of 16 received one or more doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Duchin said. He expects cases to drop as more people are vaccinated, but until then, he says it’s up to residents to hide, distance themselves socially, avoid gathering with people outside your household who aren’t vaccinated and pay special attention to ventilation.
About 32% of all King residents are fully vaccinated.
For those aged 65 and over in all racial and ethnic groups, the county has exceeded 75% or more of vaccination coverage for one or more doses, Duchin said. Disparities are more prominent in groups 16 years of age or older. He expects the number to improve with eligibility, and as the county works to make vaccination events more accessible.