COVID-19 BULLETIN

Recap of Recent COVID-19 News and Updates

Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021

Contact: 

Public Information Desk
doh-pio@doh.wa.gov

Statewide Response Updates

Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 491,869 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 25. There have been 6,471 COVID-19 deaths in Washington.

For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit the Department of Health's dashboard and the state’s Washington Ready and COVID-19 Risk Assessment Dashboard. 

Ivermectin should not be used to prevent or treat COVID-19. DOH warns people should not take ivermectin to prevent or treat COVID-19, following a Health Alert Network advisory released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Read the full news release.

Aug. 25 COVID-19 response update media briefing. Secretary of Health Umair A. Shah provided an update on the state's COVID-19 response. He was joined by Dr. Scott Lindquist, acting state health officer; Lacy Fehrenbach, deputy secretary; Michele Roberts, acting assistant secretary; Andrew Rose, COVID-19 incident commander; and Steve Mitchell, Harborview Medical Center's medical director. View the briefing.

Statewide COVID-19 outbreak report. This weekly document provides an overview of reported COVID-19 outbreaks in our state, based on information in DOH's Washington Disease Reporting System (WDRS). Read the full Aug. 25 report.

COVID-19 cases, death, and hospitalizations in persons who are not fully vaccinated. This weekly report provides a brief overview of confirmed or probable COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths among those who are not fully vaccinated in Washington state. Read the full Aug. 25 report.

Case investigation and contact tracing metrics for DOH centralized investigations. This weekly report shows the timeliness of reaching COVID-19 confirmed and probable cases and their contacts for case investigations and contact tracing activities. Read the full Aug. 25 report.

COVID-19 morbidity and mortality by race, ethnicity, and spoken language in Washington state. This bimonthly report provides an overview of confirmed or probable COVID-19 case, hospitalization, and death rates by race and ethnicity at state and regional levels. It also provides counts and percentages of confirmed or probable cases and hospitalizations by primary language spoken. Read the full Aug. 25 report. 

DOH SARS-CoV-2 sequencing and variants report. This weekly report summarizes genome sequencing coverage of Washington SARS-CoV-2 specimens from multiple laboratories from across the United States and our state. It provides a statewide view of sequencing capacity and data, including breakouts by county and demographics. Read the full Aug. 25 report.

COVID-19 death categories. This report describes how COVID-19 deaths are classified into categories using two DOH databases: the Washington Disease Reporting System (WDRS) and the Washington Health and Life Event System (WHALES). Read the full report here.

Resources

Latest COVID-19 reopening guidance for businesses and workers. A full list of current reopening guidance from the Governor's Office is available here.

Find a COVID-19 testing location near you. To make it easier to find a test near you, the DOH has created a webpage to help people find COVID-19 testing locations throughout the state.

Guidance and resources for employers and business owners. Sign up for the weekly Economic Resiliency Team business and worker newsletter here.

The state COVID-19 Assistance Hotline is a general information line related to COVID-19. If you need information or have a general question, call 1-800-525-0127, then press # or text 211-211 for help. New hours of operation are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday, and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and observed state holidays. 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.

Washington Listens helps people manage stress and anxiety they may be experiencing because of COVID-19. If you or anyone you know is having difficulties managing stress, call the Washington Listens support line at 1-833-681-0211. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. TTY and language access services are available by using 7-1-1 or their preferred method. Resources and self-help tips are available on walistens.org.

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