Here’s our nightly update with local/regional pandemic-related toplines:

NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily-summary dashboard, the cumulative totals (keep in mind, these are the first since Monday):

*22,400 people have tested positive, 137 more than yesterday

*758 people have died, no change in the past week

*2,374 people have been hospitalized, 5 more than yesterday

*437,985 people have been tested, 2,791 more than yesterday

One week ago, those totals (plus testing) were 21.677/758/2,340/(unavailable).

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them, county by county, on the state Department of Health page,.

WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them, nation by nation, here.

RAPID-TEST KITS ON THE WAY: From the state Department of Health:

Within the next five to ten days the Washington State Department of Health will receive and distribute the first batch of Abbott BinaxNOW antigen test kits for COVID-19 from the federal government. These are rapid tests that can return results in as little as 15 minutes. The first batch will include 149,000 kits, and the state anticipates receiving nearly 2.3 million total tests between now and December.

These rapid tests work best for and are approved for people with symptoms. This first batch will be distributed to community health centers, tribal clinics and critical access hospitals to increase access to COVID-19 testing in the communities they serve across the state. A plan for distribution of future shipments is in development.

VACCINE PLANNING: Also from the Health Department:

The Washington State Department of Health continues to make progress with our COVID-19 vaccine distribution planning efforts.

Yesterday we learned that on Friday, October 2, the National Academies will release the final Framework for Equitable Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccine. This report will help guide equitable allocation of a limited initial supply of COVID-19 vaccine. We will be looking at that report and using it to inform our planning and thinking for how we prioritize vaccine until there is sufficient supply for demand.

In addition to an updated framework for equitable allocation, the report will include recommendations for ensuring equity in distribution, administration, and access to the vaccine; for effective community engagement, risk communication, and strategies to promote vaccine acceptance; and for equitable global allocation.

FARES RESUME: One more reminder – after months of free rides because of the pandemic, Metro buses and the Water Taxi resume fares tomorrow.

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