Coronavirus In Washington: What To Know Monday, March 30

SEATTLE, WA — More than 1,100 cases of the new coronavirus were confirmed in Washington over the weekend, with at least 20 additional deaths, according to updates from the state department of health. By Sunday evening, the total number of infections in Washington approached 5,000, and the virus's death toll neared 200 in our state.

According to state health officials, more than 65,000 people have been tested for COVID-19 in Washington.

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Catch up on the latest developments:

• Two reports released Monday by a Bellevue research firm found social distancing measures and stay-at-home orders appear to be effective in slowing the spread of COVID-19 in King County. While the early results are promising, public health officials said it was essential efforts continue to fully defeat the virus and prevent it from rebounding.
• The Washington Department of Health launched an updated website Sunday evening, mapping confirmed cases by county and providing updated charts and graphs showing the epidemiologic "curve" of the virus's spread and illustrating the upward trend of confirmed cases.
• In King County, which accounts for more than 2,100 of Washington's COVID-19 cases, public health officials said hospitals continue to see significant impacts to operations and are grappling with a limited supply of protective equipment and ventilators.
• A team of 300 soldiers from the U.S. Army has begun work to transform the CenturyLink Field Event Center into a 150-bed field hospital, with plans to be fully operational within a few days.
• The Seattle Times reports a group is calling for an investigation into the removal of a Bellingham doctor after he criticized his hospital for failing to enact proper coronavirus protections.
• Washington State Ferries announced significant reductions to some routes amid notable drops in ridership across public transit during the outbreak. Under the plan, which began Sunday, sailings on the Seattle-Bainbridge and Seattle-Bremerton routes will be halved until at least April 25. Review a complete list of changes here.
• A report published Sunday by ProPublica provides a glimpse into the early federal response to the outbreak, based on hundreds of e-mails between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and public health agencies between January and March.
• Dr. Anthony Fauci, a leading infectious disease expert, said Sunday that the United States could see more than 100,000 deaths linked to the virus and millions of confirmed cases. During a press conference at the White House, President Donald Trump said he would extend nationwide social distancing guidelines through at least April 30.
• New York state has quickly become the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S., with nearly 60,000 confirmed cases and at least 965 deaths associated with the illness. The New York Times reports approximately 8,500 people are currently hospitalized in the state.