SEATTLE — State data shows the number of people with confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Washington has surpassed 100,000.
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported 651 new cases and three new deaths on Thursday. The latest numbers increased the confirmed cases to 100,525 and the total number of people who have died to 2,289.
Gov. Jay Inslee tweeted about the cases topping 100,000, saying, “Every choice you make right now matters.”
He said cases are on the rise again in Washington and urged people to commit to having fewer, shorter, safer interactions.
Washington health officials warned on Tuesday the state could be entering a fall surge in the coronavirus pandemic as cases increase at “an alarming rate.”
Officials with the DOH warned climbing cases, if left unchecked, could have “serious consequences” on the health care system, reopening schools and the economy.
“A surge in COVID-19 along with flu season puts us at enormous risk of overwhelming our hospital systems and undoing other important statewide progress toward containment,” Secretary of Health John Wiesman said in a statement Tuesday. “However, all of us doing our part can turn this trend around.”