YAKIMA, Wash. — The highest rate of coronavirus cases in Washington is in Yakima County, an eastern agricultural giant that has more than double the state average of cases per 100,000 people.
In fact, the county of 250,000 people has the highest rate of COVID-19 cases of any county on the West Coast.
As of Friday, Yakima County had 1,128 positive cases, a rate of 455 cases per 100,000 residents.
Yakima County also reports 47 coronavirus deaths, according to data from the Washington Department of Health.
Health experts point to a large number of essential workers, a large number of cases in long-term care facilities and a large agricultural workforce living and working in close quarters as the causes.