6 Washington counties have now reported coronavirus cases; statewide deaths up to 16
The Washington state Department of Health’s official tally rose to 16 deaths and 102 confirmed coronavirus cases as of 11 a.m. Saturday. King, Snohomish, Grant and Jefferson counties all have reported cases in addition to Pierce and Clark.
Those numbers reflect 71 in King and 27 in Snohomish counties. Pierce, Grant, Jefferson and Clark counties have one case each.
Most of the deaths in Washington state are associated with the Life Care Center in Kirkland.
Health officials announced the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Pierce County Friday evening. Dr. Anthony Chen, director of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, said the patient is a man in his 50s with underlying health conditions. He is at St. Anthony Hospital in Gig Harbor receiving treatment.
Another confirmed case was reported by public health officials in Clark County late Friday. The patient is being treated in isolation at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver.
Social and Health Services to screen visitors
The state Department of Social and Health Services will begin screening all visitors to its 24/7 facilities for the signs of COVID-19, the agency announced Friday.
The screening will be conducted at all DSHS facilities which operate 24 hours per day. Those include Western State Hospital and Rainier School.
Screenings will include questions about fever, cough, shortness of breath, contacts with people diagnosed with COVID-19 or if they have traveled internationally within the past two weeks. They will also have their temperature taken. If they have a fever or answer yes to any of the screening questions, they will not be allowed to enter.
Around the nation
Two people died in Florida from COVID-19, it was announced Friday. They are the first deaths from the disease in the U.S. outside of Washington and California.
A cruise ship remains 20 miles off shore from San Francisco Saturday after 21 crew members and passengers tested positive for the coronavirus. The Grand Princess has 3,000 passengers and authorities aren’t sure what to do with the ship and its crew and passengers. California’s only confirmed fatality from the virus was a man who had been a passenger on the ship.
The first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Hawaii. The patient, who is in quarantine at home, had been a passenger on the Grand Princess for an earlier cruise along the Mexican coast, according to authorities.
How coronavirus spreads
Coronavirus is spread through contact between people within six feet of each other, especially through coughing and sneezing that expels respiratory droplets that land in the mouths or noses of people nearby. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it’s possible to catch the disease COVID-19 by touching something that has the virus on it, and then touching your own face, “but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.”
Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath, which may occur two days to two weeks after exposure.The disease is especially dangerous for the elderly and others with weaker immune systems
This story was originally published March 7, 2020 at 11:27 AM.
