4 Washington Counties With Confirmed Coronavirus Cases; 14 Dead

SEATTLE, WA — At least 79 illnesses linked to the new coronavirus have been confirmed in four Washington counties, according to an update from state health officials Friday. The latest numbers include 58 infections in King County, 19 in Snohomish County, one in Grant County and one in Jefferson County.

According to EvergreenHealth, 12 patients with COVID-19 have died at the Kirkland hospital, bringing the statewide death toll for the virus to 14.

Among the 58 coronavirus cases in King County, public health officials said 34 were associated with a Kirkland nursing home, including 18 residents, 10 visitors and six staff members. Nine of the deaths have been linked to the facility.

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Millions approved for coronavirus response in Washington

President Donald Trump signed an $8.3 billion coronavirus spending bill Friday, boosting the money available for federal, state and local efforts to combat the growing outbreak of COVID-19.

Gov. Jay Inslee joined Rep. Susan DelBene and Rep. Derek Kilmer for a press conference in Seattle Friday morning to break down what those numbers mean for Washington, described Thursday by Vice President Mike Pence as the "tip of the spear" in the U.S. coronavirus response.

King County officials estimate the COVID-19 outbreak is costing the county at least $100,000 per day. Dow Constantine, King County Executive, said he expects to spend at least $50 million in the short-term.

"This funding package is going to be absolutely critical," Constantine said.

DelBene said $11.5 million in federal funding would be immediately sent to Washington to assist the state health department and public health agencies. Overall, $2.2 billion is earmarked to support ongoing state and local efforts nationwide.

Kilmer said his office had also heard from many employers who were feeling the economic strain of the virus and said the federal funds include a large amount of money set aside for emergency loans available for small businesses.

Gov. Jay Inslee said lawmakers in Olympia approved $100 million in state funds to assist with the growing needs of the health care response.

Update on Life Care Center in Kirkland

Constantine said 15 of the 69 residents at Life Care Center in Kirkland were transported to hospitals in the last 24 hours, and a team of 30 medical professionals from the U.S. Public Health Service is scheduled to arrive at the facility Saturday.

Seattle and King County Public Health announced all residents and staff at the facility are being tested for the virus.

Family members of many residents have slammed the facility for a lack of communication since the outbreak began. Constantine acknowledged that the facility needed to do a better job of directly connecting with families, and said the established call center was not sufficient.

"We've had some challenges with Life Care, and I'm starting to lose my patience," Constantine said.

Patty Hayes, the public health director, echoed the families' frustrations and concerns and said HIPPA laws prevent her office from communicating with Life Care about patient status on the families' behalf.

According to Hayes, public health sent an independent doctor to visit the facility Thursday night to write a status report. Hayes said the doctor's overall impression of the facility was positive, finding it "immaculate" and well-staffed, with no evidence that the standard of care was lacking.

Inslee said a new command post had been established on the state level to coordinate with assisting living facilities throughout Washington.

University of Washington will close all classrooms Monday

The University of Washington announced Friday it would close classrooms on its campuses in Seattle, Tacoma and Bothell, moving nearly 60,000 students to remote learning ahead of finals week. Other campus services and residence halls will remain open, and planned sporting events will continue as scheduled.

College officials said a staff member who worked at an administrative building in Seattle had received a presumptive positive test result for COVID-19.

According to a letter from the UW provost, professors will determine the most "appropriate solutions for finishing courses," which may include taking some final exams online or assigning final grades based on work that has already been completed.

The university plans to re-open its classrooms on March 30, for the beginning of the spring quarter.

Other Closures & Cancellations

• The "International Womxn's Day" rally and march scheduled for March 8 in Seattle was canceled.
• Emerald City Comic Con, scheduled to begin March 12, has been postponed until the summer.
• The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington has postponed in-person hearings in Seattle and Tacoma until further notice.
• Seattle University will not hold in-person classes for the remainder of the winter quarter.
• Seattle Public Library has canceled all planned public events for March.
• Seattle Humane said it would be closed to the public until at least March 14.
• Twitter said a Seattle-based employee likely had COVID-19 and closed their office Friday for a deep clean. Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Facebook and other major companies in the area have closed offices or advised employees to work remotely.
• According to the New York Times, Starbucks confirmed its first coronavirus infection in an employeee and closed its store at 1st Avenue and University Street in downtown Seattle.

What is COVID-19? The Department of Health explains:

"COVID-19 is a new respiratory virus. There are no treatments for it. Most people will recover on their own, but some people can develop pneumonia and require medical care or hospitalization."

Symptoms of the new coronavirus are similar to flu or colds and may include:

• Runny nose
• Headache
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Fever
• A general feeling of being unwell

According to the Department of Health, people should take these steps to reduce their risk of getting and spreading any viral respiratory infections:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.
• Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces.
• Stay at home and away from others if you are feeling ill.

Monitor the latest information on COVID-19 in Washington and across the United States:

• Public Health Seattle-King County
• Snohomish County Health District
• Washington State Department of Health
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention