Case updates August 9, 2020; wildland firefighter tests positive for COVID-19

Anglin Fire near Tonasket
Photo from InciWeb

Wildland firefighter tests positive for COVID-19 - highlights need for Washingtonians to take fire prevention precautions. Over the weekend, an asymptomatic firefighter who had been serving at a fire camp tested positive for COVID-19. The firefighter from the state Department of Natural Resources was part of the interagency team responding to the Anglin Fire near Tonasket.

Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz, leader of Washington state’s wildfire fighting force, urged Washingtonians

“... to recommit to doing all we can to protect our firefighters. That means practicing social distancing and wearing a mask so that our firefighters do not catch the virus when they are not on the fire lines.

"And that also means abiding by burn bans and taking precautions not to start fires. Each time our firefighters respond to a fire, they are at risk of COVID-19 spreading amongst them. While the exposure to others was limited in the cases so far, it could be far worse next time.”

Case updates August 9, 2020

United States

• cases 5,023,649 including 48,690 new cases in the past 24 hours
• deaths 161,842 including 558 new deaths in the past 24 hours

Washington state

• cases 63,647 includes 575 new within 24 hours
• hospitalizations 6,049 includes 48 new within 24 hours
• deaths 1,697 includes 9 reported within 24 hours

King county

• tested 337,664 - 5,024 tests since yesterday
• cases 16,749 - 148 in previous 24 hours
• hospitalizations 2,043 - 15 in previous 24 hours
• deaths 676 - 2 in previous 24 hours

Shoreline

• tested 9,368 - 113 tests in previous 24 hours
• cases 525 - -1 new in previous 24 hours
• hospitalizations 102 - 0 new in previous 24 hours
• deaths 62 - 0 additional deaths

Lake Forest Park

• tested 2,016 - 28 new tests
• cases 52 - 2 new in previous 24 hours
• hospitalizations 4 - 0 new
• deaths 1 - 0 new