586 New Coronavirus Cases Confirmed In Washington; 6 More Deaths

SEATTLE, WA — Another 586 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Washington Sunday, and six more people have died from complications linked to the illness, according to the state health department.

The state now has 4,896 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 195 deaths. Initially the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak, Washington now ranks behind New York, New Jersey, California, Michigan, Massachusetts and Florida by total confirmed cases, according to Johns Hopkins University. It ranks second in deaths behind New York, which has confirmed more than 900.

Statewide, Sunday's updated totals reflected a slightly larger increase in cases but a smaller increase in deaths compared to the previous day's, when Washington confirmed 577 new cases and 14 deaths.

The biggest increase Sunday came in King County, where state officials confirmed 84 new cases and eight more deaths. Washington's most populous county now has 2,161 confirmed cases and 144 deaths, the most in the state.

More than 13% of people tested for COVID-19 in King County have tested positive, according to the county's data, and 6.5% of confirmed patients have died.

Hospitals feel strain as army constructs new facility at CenturyLink Field

Hospitals in King County are feeling "significant pressures" from COVID-19, according to the Northwest Healthcare Response Network, which tracks hospital capacity in the region. Hospitals have had to implement surge strategies, including postponing elective and non-emergency procedures, to keep ICU beds and ventilators open.

One effort to increase the region's hospital capacity is underway at CenturyLink Field Event Center, where three hundred soldiers deployed from Fort Carson, Colorado to staff a new military field hospital being built for people with medical issues that are not related to the coronavirus outbreak.

Officials including Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and King County Executive Dow Constantine spoke Saturday at a news conference at the Event Center, saying it will be ready to start seeing patients in just a few days.

"We know that this Army field hospital will be critical and will reduce the burden on hospitals here," Durkan said. "The military is here to help, not take over. They are here to help because they know Seattle needs it."

Officials warned about lack of medical gear early on in outbreak, emails show

A high-ranking federal official in late February warned that the United States needed to plan for not having enough personal protective equipment for medical workers as they began to battle the novel coronavirus, according to internal emails obtained by Kaiser Health News.

Kaiser Health News obtained the emails through a public records request in King County, where officials struggled as the virus set upon a nursing home in the Seattle area.

"We are having a very serious challenge related to hospital exposures and impact on the health care system," Dr. Jeff Duchin, the public health officer for Seattle and King County, wrote in an email to CDC officials March 1.

Duchin pleaded for a field team to test exposed health care workers and additional support, Kaiser reports.

Coronavirus cases by county

Illnesses confirmed statewide: 4,896 (195 deaths)

King: 2,161 cases (144 deaths)
Snohomish: 1,068 cases (21 deaths)
Pierce: 288 cases (6 deaths)
Spokane: 136 cases (2 deaths)
Whatcom: 111 cases (4 deaths)
Skagit: 101 cases (3 deaths)
Benton: 101 cases (3 deaths)
Yakima: 95 cases (2 deaths)
Island: 95 cases (1 death)
Clark: 68 cases (5 deaths)
Kitsap: 56 cases
Grant: 50 cases (1 death)
Thurston: 36 cases
Franklin: 32 cases
Chelan: 14 cases (1 death)
Jefferson: 14 cases
Cowlitz: 13 cases
Lewis: 10 cases
Adams: 7 cases
Kittitas: 7 cases
Klickitat: 7 cases (1 death)
Clallam: 6 cases
Walla Walla: 6 cases
Whitman: 6 cases
Douglas: 5 cases
San Juan: 3 cases
Okanogan: 3 cases
Stevens: 3 cases
Mason: 2 cases
Columbia: 1 case
Grays Harbor: 1 case
Lincoln: 1 case
Ferry: 1 case
Skamania: 1 case
Unassigned: 387 cases (1 death)*

*Health agencies are still working to determine the appropriate jurisdiction for cases marked "unassigned."

Total tested: 65,462 (7.5% positive)

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