SPOKANE, Wash. — Though the infection rate of the 2019 novel coronavirus is trending downward in Spokane County, public health leaders are continuing to stress the need for more testing materials.
As of Thursday morning, 19 people have died among 322 who have tested positive for coronavirus in Spokane County. Thirteen people remain hospitalized.
Health officials in Washington state are expected to release new testing guidance in the coming weeks, Spokane County Health Officer Dr. Bob Lutz said. He added that it will "encourage and strongly recommend" that healthcare providers uniformly test any individual with symptoms of COVID-19 or those that have come into contact with someone who has the virus.
The testing process has varied depending on circumstances. Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says only people with symptoms should be tested, but some facilities with large outbreaks are testing those without symptoms.
At the Spokane Veterans Home, all residents and staff have been tested for the virus — even those who do not have symptoms. Two of 25 residents who have tested positive for the virus have died and 13 staff members have tested positive, according to the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs.
"Once we had enough test kits, we began testing all residents and staff members. Many of the tests we have run have shown residents and staff are carrying the virus with no or mild symptoms," Heidi Audette, a spokesperson for state Department of Veterans Affairs, said in an email.
Gov. Jay Inslee said in a public address this week that the state must ramp up its ability to respond to the spread of coronavirus. This includes the availability of widespread, rapid testing statewide.
On Wednesday, Inslee said Washington is set to receive an order with at least one million swabs. The supply will serve the state for a few weeks, but additional sources will be necessary afterward, he added.
Lutz echoed Inslee's concerns about a lacking of testing materials, saying the state still doesn't have enough. Spokane County has performed about 7,500 coronavirus tests to date.
"We're a far cry from what we need to do," Lutz added.
Leaders in Washington state, including Inslee, are aiming for 20-30,000 tests to be performed per day. On average, the state is performing about 4,000 tests per day, Lutz said.
The state Department of Health did receive 100,000 test kits on Wednesday, according to Lutz.
Lutz said on Thursday that public health officials in Spokane County and statewide are trying to "box in the virus." This means they want to find people who are infected with coronavirus and prevent them from spreading it. He acknowledged that herd immunity will not be possible by using the current process.
Right now, testing is available locally for those who are eligible at the Spokane Interstate Fairgrounds and through various health care providers, such as MultiCare and Providence.
