Providence medical personnel conduct a drive-through COVID-19 test last April at Hawks Prairie in Lacey.
Thurston County has shattered a week-old record with a new weekly high.
The county on Sunday announced 23 more confirmed cases of COVID-19 to end the week with 80 cases. The previous weekly high was 54, which was set the week of June 29, according to Thurston County Public Health and Social Services.
A man in his 80s and a man in his 60s were among the 23 new cases announced Sunday. But every other confirmed case was a person in their 50s or younger, including those in their 20s and 10s, the data show. The number of young people contracting the virus continues to grow.
Those ages 20-29 with the disease has now climbed to 73 cases, or 19 percent of the overall total of 378 cases.
Of those 378 cases, 277 have recovered or are recovering, 39 have been hospitalized at some point during their illness, five have died and there have been two congregate care setting outbreaks at Olympics West Retirement Inn in Tumwater and Infinite Care Adult Family Home in Lacey.
County data show that there is no longer an ongoing situation at Olympics West.
Thurston County Health Officer Dr. Dimyana Abdelmalek said this week that private gatherings with family and friends are common ways people are contracting COVID-19.
"If you must gather, outdoors is better than indoors," she said in a letter to the community this week. "The advice for preventing COVID-19 remains the same: cover your cough, wash your hands, wear a mask and stay more than six feet from people who are not part of your household when possible. I am using digital means to keep up with friends and family, limiting my travel within Thurston County and taking the opportunity to explore close to home."
In the region
-- Pierce County announced 70 cases on Sunday, giving the county 3,208 with 97 deaths.
-- Lewis County has 95 cases and three deaths.
-- Mason County has 59 cases and one death.
-- Grays Harbor County has 44 cases.
Around the state, nation and world
Washington state now has 39,218 cases and 1,424 deaths, according to the state Department of Health.
In the U.S., more than 3 million have contracted the virus, producing 135,000 deaths. Globally, more than 12 million have become afflicted and 567,000 have died, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
