- Moses Lake, WA
COVID-19 cases have risen sharply since the state dropped most public health restrictions on June 30th. The latest report from the Grant County Health District on August 31st stated that 144 new cases were reported across the county on August 30th; the health district reported 142 cases bringing the total to 286 confirmed cases in only two days. Most of the cases came from those who are unvaccinated.
Hospitalizations have jumped 56% in the last two weeks. Comparing the county's confirmed cases per 100,000 people to the United States, the county's commutative case count has exceeded the nations pace on August 30th at just over 12,000 commutative cases per 100,000 people. As for daily confirmed cases per 100,000 Grant County has also exceeded the nation at just under 100 cases per 100,000 people.
Grant County can't shine on their vaccination progress as the county has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the state and on the West Coast at only 44%, with the highest vaccinated demographic being those age 65+and the lowest being those ages 12+ at 54%. Today, August 31st, the total number of positive COVID-19 cases is standing at 13,099, with Moses Lake standing at 6,162 cases.
I.C.U. Occupancy - Full
With cases excessively rising across the Moses Lake metro region, I.C.U. Beds are becoming scarce. At Samaritan Healthcare in Moses Lake, the I.C.U. occupancy is at 84% with 17 current patients ages ranging from 20-70 years old with only two available I.C.U. Beds left. An hour north in Wenatchee I.C.U. occupancy is at a staggering 93%, with 37 current patients and only one bed left.
Grant County Risk Level - Extremely High Risk
Grant County has now been labeled as an Extremely High-Risk county by C.D.C. and The New York Times, with 286 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the past two days combined. Governor Jay Inslee has reinstated mask mandates for both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals due to the growing risk of public health across the state; however, many local businesses stated that they will not enforce the required mandate. Looking at the graph below Central and Eastern Washington has a higher spread risk of COVID-19 than the Puget Sound and Southwestern regions the biggest difference between the high risk and extremely high regions comes down to vaccination rates, health order compliance, and the average daily count of covid cases.
Current cases for Moses Lake and surrounding towns
(From largest amount of cases to smallest amount of cases)
Moses Lake 6162
Quincy Area (Crescent Bar, George, Quincy) 2238
Ephrata 1324
Mattawa Area (Beverly, Desert Aire, Mattawa, Schwana) 1257
Royal City 752
Warden 577
Soap Lake 368
Othello Rural (Grant County) 178
Grand Coulee Area (Electric City, Grand Coulee, Coulee Dam) 98
Coulee City Area (Coulee City, Hartline, Almira Rural) 81
Wilson Creek Area (Krupp, Marlin, Stratford, Wilson Creek) 45