SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane County health officials are constantly looking at coronavirus data in an effort to learn more about the illness.
On Friday, July 17, Spokane County passed the 100 mark for the first time, with 134 new cases reported. When the number was first reported, only 48 cases were linked to other positive cases by contact tracing.
"We need to be looking at the trend of data over periods of time to see if our health measures are making a difference," said County Health Officer Dr. Bob Lutz in a statement. "There may be some good days and some bad days, but it's the overall trend that guides us on setting measures necessary, such as required face coverings, to keep our community healthy."
The problem is many ongoing trends continue to point the other way.
Here's a closer look at some of the latest trends, using data both from the Spokane Regional Health District and the Washington State Deparment of Health, particularly as they relate to Washington's statewide mask mandate that began June 26. These numbers are constantly changing. These numbers were reported July 18 at noon:
June 5-June 25:
-Percentage of Overall Tests with Positive Results: 6.68%
-Percentage of Positive Cases Linked to Community Spread: 29.4%
June 26-July 17:
-Percentage of Overall Tests with Positive Results: 8.07%
-Percentage of Positive Cases Linked to Community Spread: 48.6%
The state department of health reports the statewide average of overall positive test results in Washington sits at 5.8%, which is lower than that of Spokane County.