COVID-19 cases in Spokane County nearly double in 2 days, after 21 new people test positive

Spokane County confirmed 21 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday afternoon, bringing the local total to 54 cases.

The additional confirmed cases Wednesday represented the biggest day-to-day jump in Spokane County since the outbreak began.

Of the 54 cases countywide, 11 people are hospitalized, Kelli Hawkins, public information officer at the Spokane Regional Health District, confirmed.

The jump in cases is due at least in part to an increase in testing capacity community wide as well as test results coming back quicker, Hawkins said. Hospitals are able to conduct tests for patients already receiving treatment there, which could account for the increase in hospitalized cases.

The week started with 29 local cases after the number of patients more than doubled from 11 on Friday, when County Health Officer Bob Lutz declared a local public health emergency.

The Spokane Regional Health District will identify and contact anyone who came into close contact with the people confirmed to have the disease. Those individuals will then be monitored for fever and respiratory illness symptoms.

This story is developing and will be updated.