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Hospitalizations associated with the Delta variant are declining in some parts of Washington state, but deaths are increasing and border communities continue to struggle with COVID-19 cases. That was the update Monday from the Washington State Hospital Association, which has been hosting weekly media briefings with health officials from across the state to offer updates on the COVID case surge. There are currently 1,504 COVID-19 hospitalizations throughout the state, compared with 1,673 last week, with about 260 patients on ventilators.