SPOKANE, Wash. – The eastern region, as well as the other seven regions of Washington, will remain in Phase 1 of the “Healthy Washington” plan until at least February 1st.
The State Department of Health said that none of the regions is meeting the metrics needed to advance to the next phase and that the eastern region has actually seen its numbers worsen.
The eastern region, which includes Spokane and eight other eastern Washington counties, is achieving only two of the four metrics needed to move forward.
The region was hitting three of the four metrics in last week’s DOH report.
In that report, cases have decreased by 26% and now have increased by 12%.
In fact, hospital admissions have improved, decreasing 11% and now falling 20%.
ICU beds in the region have filled up a little more since last week; now it is 82%, but the goal is to stay below 90.
The test’s positivity was 17 percent last week and is now above 21.
To proceed to Phase 2, a region must meet the following:
- Trend in the 14-day rate of new COVID-19 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants
- Trend in the 14-day rate of new hospital admissions COVID-19 per 100 thousand inhabitants
- Average 7 days of occupancy percentage of beds with ICU team
- Percent positivity in 7 days of COVID-19 tests
84 people in Spokane County have died so far in this month of COVID-19.
For comparison, 78 people died in the first 22 days of December, so that number is growing slightly.
We know that 50% of the 468 covid-19 deaths in the county are related to long-term care institutions.
15 people under the age of 40 also died from this virus.
RELATED: WA reopening: East region approaching, but no region ready to move to Phase 2
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