Data Snapshot
UW Medicine Hospitals:
King County: The county reported 172 new positive cases and 3 new deaths on August 26.
Washington: The state reported 72,161 cases and 1,880 deaths as of August 25.
United States: The CDC reports 5,752,653 cases and 177,759 deaths as of August 26.
Global: WHO reports 24,021,218 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 821,462 deaths as of August 26.
*Numbers update frequently, please follow links for most up-to-date numbers.
UW Medicine in the News
Today: How effective is spit test for COVID-19? TODAY tries it out
Featuring: Keith Jerome, Laboratory Medicine
‘”(Saliva tests) are generally very accurate,’ said Dr. Keith Jerome, head of the virology division at the University of Washington in Seattle. ‘They’re probably a little less sensitive than the nasal swab, which is the term used to mean that if people have very, very small amounts of virus, it’s possible that the nasal swab would detect that whereas the saliva wouldn’t.”’
The Seattle Times: COVID-19 spike in shelter highlights uncertainty
Featuring: Harborview Hall
“After few reports of COVID-19 in Seattle’s homeless shelters earlier this summer, August has seen a spike focused mainly at Harborview Hall, a shelter on First Hill. On Aug. 11 alone, 15 cases were reported in King County, the third-highest number counted among the homeless population in one day since the onset of COVID-19. The two highest daily spikes were both reported in April. It’s potentially a bad omen for the fall, when cold weather will encourage more people to stay at shelters rather than outside, and make leaving windows open to ventilate a room less of an option. The Harborview Hall shelter, which is run by the Salvation Army and is across the street from Harborview Medical Center, has seen 27 cases since the beginning of August.”
Q13: UW Medicine recommends extra precautions for anyone playing sports
Featuring: UW Medicine
“The University of Washington Medicine is offering recommendations for staying safe playing sports this fall. While most schools are canceling or postponing fall sports this year, some clubs and private organizations are still operating. For any teams hitting the fields in the upcoming weeks, UW Medicine is suggesting taking extra precautions. The first is always wear a mask when you can’t social distance. While playing sports, officials suggest increasing to 10-12 feet, instead of 6 feet, when social distancing due to increased breathing. The UW suggests before leaving for practice, parents should check their children for COVID-19 symptoms. Officials also suggest avoiding carpooling. If that’s not possible, everyone should wear a mask in the car. At practice, kids should avoid putting bags, and water bottles close together. After practice, officials also suggest sanitizing and not lingering on the field.”
Tweet of the Week
Brace yourself for the #flu season coming during the COVID-19 pandemic by getting a flu shot. @JohnLynchID @PergamIC @DocJeffD weigh in for @SandiDoughton article in @seattletimes on influenza viruses making an appearance as fall & winter creep in https://t.co/pQknczVKqK
— UW Medicine Newsroom (@uwmnewsroom) August 25, 2020
