Washington Seeks $100 Million For Coronavirus Response

OLYMPIA, WA — With at least six deaths and 18 illnesses tied to the new coronavirus in Washington, state leaders announced Monday they would seek $100 million from the legislature for a prolonged and comprehensive effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Latest: 9 Coronavirus Deaths In Washington, 7 More Cases In King County

According to the News Tribune, Washington had already spent more than $2.3 million responding to the outbreak by Sunday. Inslee signed an emergency declaration over the weekend, allowing state agencies to help direct resources where they are needed and utilize the National Guard should the need arise.

During a Monday afternoon press conference, Inslee said money for the response could come from the state's rainy day fund or elsewhere in the budget. The governor said he did not expect financial concerns would be a limiting factor and noted the state's congressional delegation was working to secure federal assistance and additional medical equipment.

Inslee also underlined the importance of following the Department of Health's recommendations to prevent the virus's continued spread and said the single most important thing people can do to curb the rate of transmission is staying home when they're feeling under the weather.

"I had a cough Wednesday, and I didn't come to work," Inslee said. "It's hard to do right? We're all wrapped up in our jobs, our identity is in our jobs."

"It's a bit of a patriotic act right now of not going to work," Inslee said.

State health officials said those with chronic health conditions or weakened immune systems should consider limiting their activities in areas where large groups of people may be gathered.

"Folks should begin to think about avoiding large events and assemblies," Inslee said. "We are not making a request formally right now for events to be canceled, but people should be prepared for that possibility."

"There's no algebraic equation that can make this an easy decision when we cancel events or schools, this is a matter of judgment that will be based on the best available science," Inslee said.

While no health districts in Washington are currently recommending event cancellations or school closures, at least 11 Washington schools were closed Monday out of "an abundance of caution." Two schools in Puyallup and Hazen High School in Renton announced they would reopen Tuesday. Kentwood High School and Covington Elementary School said they would remain closed.

A student petition to close the University of Washington, where four students tested negative for the virus last month, had garnered more than 13,000 signatures by Monday.

According to the Department of Health, dozens of employees are processing up to 200 samples per day for the virus at a laboratory in Shoreline. Inslee said that number accounts for screening 100 potential infections daily, with each test conducted twice. The state health agency is requesting additional equipment from the federal government to boost its capacity and the University of Washington will start testing samples Tuesday.

A researcher at Fred Hutch told the Seattle Times he believed the virus's spread began with an undetected transmission connected to Washington's original case in January. Since then, he estimates the number of cases has doubled every six days, leading to potentially hundreds of undisclosed illnesses.

Washington Secretary of Health John Wiesman said the health department planned to begin posting statewide infection updates every day at 11 a.m.

As of Monday night, the state's 18 COVID-19 cases, and six related deaths, were limited to King and Snohomish counties. Health officials have acknowledged the possibility that the virus has traveled elsewhere, but state tests have, so far, not revealed additional areas of concern. The state plans to expand the number of tests it runs as the capacity increases in the days and weeks ahead.

Health officials' guidance on virus prevention:

• Do not go to an emergency room unless absolutely essential. Those with symptoms including a cough, fever, or other respiratory issues are advised to contact their regular doctor first.
• If you're sick, stay home.
• Commit to excellent personal hygiene, including regular handwashing, and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Consider avoiding large public gatherings, especially if you have chronic health conditions or are over the age of 60.
• Avoid visiting hospital patients or those in assisted living facilities if you have any symptoms of illness.

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