Lewis County reported 251 new COVID-19 cases this week, less than the previous three weekly reports released by public health officials.
While the county reported eight new active outbreaks in congregate care settings, an increase from the previous reporting week, the most recent verified state data now show Lewis County’s case rate decreasing to 770.1 per 100,000 — still well past Washington’s overall rate of 506.5. The county’s hospitalization rate of 32.4 per 100,000 is lower than reported in previous weeks, but is still nearly three times the state average of 11.8.
Hospitalizations and deaths also decreased from the previous week, with 26 new hospitalizations and seven new deaths.
Washington state reached a grim milestone this week of 7,500 deaths due to COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.
The vast majority of those deaths were individuals who were unvaccinated. Between Jan. 17 and Sept. 18, the most recent data available, the state logged a total of 386 cases where a person who was fully vaccinated died from COVID-19.
“We know COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death, even against the delta variant,” said Lacy Fehrenbach, the state Department of Health’s deputy secretary for COVID-19 response.
Lewis County’s vaccination rate is climbing, with 57.3% of Lewis County residents 16 and older having initiated vaccination as of Sept. 25, but the county’s vaccination rates are still well below the state total of 75.2% residents 16 and over who had initiated vaccination as of Sept. 25.
Vaccination rates are rising statewide, with a 25% increase in the number of people who have gotten their first dose since August, according to Michele Roberts, acting assistant secretary for the state Department of Health.
“We’re closing the gap,” said Roberts. “Thank you to all the Washingtonians who have made the choice to get vaccinated and do your part to help our state fight this pandemic.”
Despite flattening and decreasing trends statewide, Department of Health officials warn COVID-19 numbers are still incredibly high and the state’s health care system is still under serious strain.
“There are hopeful signs in our data but we are still in a very very tenuous situation statewide,” said Fehrenbach.
While state Health Secretary Dr. Umair Shah said the flattening and decreasing trends were “incredibly heartwarming,” he reiterated a rubber band metaphor for health care systems stretched by COVID admissions and a staffing difficulties to express concern about the system potentially nearing a “snap” due to the ongoing strain.
“It is absolutely critical that we keep in mind that while the trends are improving, I don’t want anybody in the community to have any misgivings or misunderstandings about the fact that we are at an incredibly high number and the fact that that number is also incredibly high not just across the state of Washington, but in certain communities and current hospitals, including our critical access hospitals in rural communities and smaller jurisdictions,” said Shah. “That should be concerning to all of us.”
Lewis County is among the counties sending the highest number of patients to metro hospitals due to a lack of beds, staff or equipment, according to a recent Seattle Times report compiled with data from the Washington Medical Coordination Center.
Lewis County had the second-highest number of patients transferred to other facilities between July 1 and Sept. 23, with 43 patients per the data. Only Okanogan County was higher, with 46 patients transferred to outside facilities.
The majority of those patients were transferred to King County, with King County facilities receiving an extra 229 patients between July 1 and Sept. 23.
Pierce County received the third highest number of patients at 45.
The Western Washington region, which includes Lewis, Thurston, Grays Harbor, Mason and Pacific counties, reports its ICUs are at 88.8% capacity, 32.4% of which is taken up by COVID patients, and its hospitals are at 87.7% capacity, 22.6% of which is taken up by COVID patients.
