SEATTLE (AP) — Washington state is expected this week to surpass 5,000 deaths from the coronavirus, almost exactly one year after the first known virus death was recorded in the U.S.
The state reported 1,166 new confirmed cases and 14 more deaths Friday, which brought its totals to almost 339,000 known infections and 4,956 deaths from the virus.
The first confirmed coronavirus death in Washington — and the U.S. — was announced on Feb. 29, 2020.
State health officials are hopeful due to a recent consistent decline in deaths that’s been buoyed by the scaling up of vaccinations against the virus.