Health officials say coronavirus cases and hospitalizations are falling throughout Washington and Idaho as the surge of the omicron variant subsides.
But health officials in both states say the end of the omicron wave will likely persist for at least a few more weeks and medical officials remain worried about the recent wave’s lasting effects on staffing levels and supplies, including equipment and blood inventories.
King County, public health officials are counting just over 1,400 infections per day, about a 50% drop from the past seven days, and 30 hospitalizations per day, about a 33% drop since the prior week.
In Idaho, Health and Welfare Director Dave Jeppeson says the hospital situation in the state is stable, but not good. Cases and hospitalizations are still very high in some parts of the state and while the testing positivity rate last week went from 39% to 34% – it’s still seven times higher than the state testing positivity goal of 5%.
