COVID-19 hospitalizations falling throughout Washington

SEATTLE (AP) — Authorities say coronavirus cases and hospitalizations are falling throughout Washington state as the surge of the omicron variant subsides. But in a Tuesday morning news briefing, Cassie Sauer, president of the Washington State Hospital Association, said the end of the omicron wave will likely persist for at least a few more weeks and hospital leaders remain worried about the recent wave’s lasting effects on their staffers and supply of equipment. The Seattle Times reports hospitalizations are falling statewide. At the beginning of the month, Washington counted 1,958 hospitalizations, compared to about 1,635 this week. As of late January, the state had also counted a seven-day average of about 16,365 infections per day, compared to 19,000 infections per day in mid-January.