Recap of Today’s COVID-19 News and Updates
DAILY BULLETIN
May 3, 2020
Contact:
Joint Information Center
253-512-7100
wajic@mil.wa.gov
Numbers: As of 11:59 p.m. on May 2, there are 15,185 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Washington state, an increase of 182 cases in the last 24 hours. Visit the Department of Health's website for cases by county, demographics, and more.
Statewide Response Updates
DOH COVID-19 visualizations get an upgrade: Visitors to the Department of Health’s COVID-19 homepage may notice a change starting today, May 3– a link to improved data visualizations. Clicking the “See Dashboard” link will reveal the same data and data sets previously offered, with improved usability and accessibility.
Improvements to support access for blind and visually impaired users include tab-key navigation, improvements for screen reader functionality and optimized font sizes and color contrast. DOH has also optimized the layout and improved the experience for tablet and mobile users.
The daily schedule to update the visualization remains the same. DOH would like to thank the Microsoft AI for Health team for their continued partnership.
New claims for unemployment benefits increase as more individuals become eligible: Initial claims for regular unemployment benefits increased by 67 percent for April 19-25, and total initial claims increased by 453.3 percent over the previous week. This was the first week that initial claims could be filed by individuals such as self-employed workers and independent contractors, and also the first week that initial claims for extended benefits could be filed.
Resources
TVW: Find links to past and future coverage regarding COVID-19 and resources from TVW’s partners at https://www.tvw.org/covid-19/
Washington 211 COVID-19 Call Center: Do you need information or answers to your questions and concerns about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19)? You can call 1-800-525-0127 or text 211-211 for help. You can also text the word “Coronavirus” to 211-211 to receive information and updates on your phone wherever you are. You will receive links to the latest information on COVID-19, including county-level updates, and resources for families, businesses, students, and more.
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