Editor's note: Since the airing and publication of this story, the data included in models by UW's Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation has continued to change, sometimes in drastic numbers. We at KREM 2 encourage you to continue exploring the models offered by the IHME as new data and information is gathered by university researchers.
SPOKANE, Wash. — On Monday, April 6, the people of Washington state woke up to the possibility that the worst had already passed when it comes to COVID-19 deaths.
Researchers at the University of Washington had previously stated there was a possibility Washingtonians may have already seen the peak number of deaths on March 27, when that number reached 24 deaths in one day.
By Friday, April 10, that number had been met or surpassed three times:
- On April 4th, 25 coronavirus-related deaths were reported
- On April 6th, 42 coronavirus-related deaths were reported
- On April 7th, 24 coronavirus-related deaths were reported
But there is some room for optimism based on an updated look at projections from the UW's Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, which suggest that health officials are getting a much clearer picture of the state's coronavirus situation.
For starters, the IHME chart predicting the number of statewide deaths also includes a feature called the "area of uncertainty," marked by an area of faded color that predicts the potential highest numbers and the potential lowest numbers for any day ahead.
During the week of April 6-10, none of the spikes in reported deaths ever passed beyond the predicted area of uncertainty.
Additionally, the area of uncertainty has also continued to shrink, which translates to the idea that health officials might be narrowing in on a more accurate idea of the coronavirus' overall statewide.
You can check out the predictive models of overall hospital resources, anticipated numbers of deaths, and other useful information at the state and national level using the fully interactive models on the IHME website.