Novel Coronavirus Quarantine Site Chosen Near North Bend

NORTH BEND, WA — Washington State Patrol's Fire Training Academy near North Bend will serve as one of five designated U.S. quarantine sites for travelers returning from China's Hubei Province, officials announced Tuesday. The New York Times reports military bases in California, Colorado and Texas are hosting the other four facilities.

Since Sunday, the U.S. government has required all airline passengers who have been to the Chinese province within 14 days to be monitored for 2019 Novel Coronavirus symptoms until the 15th day.

The new federal measures funnel all aircraft arriving from China into a handful of major airports, including Sea-Tac, where Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staff screen passengers for respiratory symptoms. Anyone who appears ill is placed in immediate isolation, and those without symptoms are required to undergo daily monitoring, with the option to do so at home.

In a news release, the state Department of Health said the number of people quarantined at the Washington facility was expected to be very low.

"For most travelers, we expect this quarantine will last just a few days as transportation services out of Hubei were discontinued about 10 days ago. They will then be monitored like other travelers from the rest of China, as described below. Home quarantine is the first choice for those traveling from Hubei. If a traveler requires quarantine and can’t do it at home, the Department of Health has a safe facility ready to use that is away from other members of the public."

State health officials said it was possible the WSP facility would not be used at all, but if the outlook changed they would work to identify additional housing options. According to the Department of Health, no one had been placed under public health supervision by Wednesday afternoon.

City leaders in North Bend, situated a few miles west of the quarantine site, said they were first informed of the plans Tuesday morning. In a news release Wednesday, officials reiterated that the facility was outside North Bend city limits and "well away from local population centers."

"The information we have received from the DOH is that the FTA is considered a secure facility to quarantine up to 14 days (holding only, not treatment) for people who arrive at Sea-Tac from Wuhan province and DO NOT present symptoms," North Bend Mayor Rob McFarland said.

Washington State Patrol plans to host a media tour at the Fire Training Academy at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 6.

Public health officials said the current risk for the new respiratory virus remains low in the United States and Washington. According to the latest numbers from the CDC, only 12 people among the 293 tested for the illness have received positive results. The Snohomish County man diagnosed with the first U.S. case in January was recently discharged from an Everett hospital and remains under monitoring at his home.

In China, where the outbreak originated, more than 24,000 infections have been identified, and the death toll is quickly approaching 500.

Follow the latest updates on the international response to 2019 Novel Coronavirus on the CDC website.

Learn the latest on Washington's efforts to prevent infections via the state Department of Health.

Any member of the public with questions about the virus can call the DoH hotline at 1-800-525-0127.