BOISE, Idaho — Nearly 100 people in the U.S. have now been diagnosed as having the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Of those infected, 48 of them involve people repatriated to the U.S. from Wuhan, China or from the Diamond Princess Cruise Ship that was quarantined in Japan.
There are currently no confirmed cases of the virus in Idaho.
Six people in Washington have died from the disease, which are also the first deaths reported in the U.S.
Here is a summary of what is happening in different areas of the Pacific Northwest.
Western Washington
Washington state health officials announced four more people have died as a result of the coronavirus. That brings the total to six.
King County Executive Dow Constantine says officials are in "final negotiations" to purchase a motel for people diagnosed with coronavirus who need to be isolated and recover. That should be made available by the end of the week, according to Constantine.
Additionally, the county is working to provide modular housing in Seattle for sick patients. Newly manufactured units may also be made available in Marysville.
Most of these cases are connected to a possible outbreak at Life Care Center nursing home in Kirkland.
King County Public Health officials said that number is expected to rise as more people are tested.
So far, there are 10 cases in King County and three cases in Snohomish County.
King County deaths
- A man in his 50s was a patient at EvergreenHealth Medical Center in Kirkland and was the first in the country to die of coronavirus. He had underlying health conditions, Duchin said. The man had no history of travel outside of the U.S. or known contact with anyone who had COVID-19. He is also not connected to the possible outbreak at a nursing facility in Kirkland.
- A man in his 70s was hospitalized at EvergreenHealth. He had underlying health conditions and died on Feb. 29.
King County cases:
- A man in his 60s is hospitalized at Valley Medical Center in Renton. This man has underlying health conditions. He is in critical but stable condition, according to King County Public Health officials.
- A man in his 60s is hospitalized at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle. This man has underlying health conditions and is in critical condition.
- A woman in her 50s who was infected after visiting South Korea between Feb. 7-23. She works at a Federal Way United States Postal Office but did not come in contact with the public, according to Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer of Public Health Seattle & King County. The woman's husband, who did not travel to South Korea but has been in the same house as her, is under quarantine.
- A woman in her 70s who was a resident of Life Care Center in Kirkland. She is in serious condition at EvergreenHealth Medical Center.
- A woman in her 40s who is employed by Life Care Center in Kirkland. The CDC is responding to a possible outbreak at the nursing facility. There are over 50 individuals associated with Life Care Center who are showing respiratory symptoms or who have been hospitalized with pneumonia and are being tested for COVID-19, according to Duchin.
- A woman in her 80s is hospitalized at EvergreenHealth in Kirkland. She had underlying health conditions and is in critical condition.
- A woman in her 90s is hospitalized at EvergreenHealth in Kirkland. She had underlying health conditions and is in critical condition.
- A man in his 70s was hospitalized at Evergreen Health in Kirkland. He had underlying health conditions and is in critical condition.
Snohomish County cases:
- A student at Henry M. Jackson High School in Mill Creek has tested positive for coronavirus. The school was closed Saturday, Sunday, and Monday for deep cleaning. District superintendent Dr. Ian Saltzman said no other students have shown symptoms so far.
- A Snohomish County man was the first person in the country to test positive for the virus back in January. He has since fully recovered and is back out in the public.
- A man in his 40s us being hospitalized at EvergreenHealth in Kirkland. He is in critical condition. It is not connected to Life Care Center.
A new Washington call center has been set up to answer questions about COVID-19. If you have questions about how the virus spreads, what is being done in Washington state, and what you can do if you have symptoms, call 1-800-525-0127 and press #.
Eastern Washington and northern Idaho
Colville School District is closing all schools on Monday due to a person under investigation for the coronavirus.
According to the district, schools will be closed until test results are received in one to three days.
All spring sports, field trips, zero hour, pre-school and after school activities are also cancelled.
Troy Junior Senior High School and Troy Elementary school in District 87 and Genesee School District, both in Idaho, will also close schools on Monday for precautionary cleaning due to the global coronavirus outbreak.
A non-visiting student from Jackson High School in Snohomish County has tested presumptive positive for the coronavirus. This student's school was a participant at the University of Idaho Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival.
This student was not at the festival and there is no indication that any student had direct contact with the infected student. None of the students are exhibiting any signs of illness, according to an email from the University of Idaho.
As part of Jazz Fest tradition, Genesee Schools has allowed students from Jackson High School from Washington to stay in their building.
Troy Junior Senior High School hosted band members from Payette, Idaho on Thursday and Friday night in the gym.
The Superintendent stated that the risk is extremely low at this time and they are taking additional measures to provide extra disinfectant as well as sanitizing all areas.
The student at Henry M. Jackson High School in Mill Creek tested positive on Friday.
The student had not recently traveled internationally and is believed to have contracted coronavirus in the community, according to Washington State Department of Health Officer R. Kathy Lofy.
The teen boy fell ill Monday with body aches, fever and a headache and was seen at two health clinics in Snohomish County, including Seattle Children's North Clinic on Monday.
The student felt well enough to go back to school Friday and tried to go to class. However, that student's test came back positive and he returned home when the health department notified the school, according to Dr. Chris Spitters with the Snohomish Health District.
Spitters said the student is in home isolation and "doing well."
At least six schools and one college in western Washington will also be closed on Monday for deep cleaning out of an “abundance of caution” over coronavirus.
Oregon
Oregon officials announced Monday morning a third presumptive positive case in the state. The most recent is an unidentified adult from Umatilla County who is now in a Walla Walla, Washington, hospital.
When using the term "presumptive" is used by state officials, it means the person has tested positive. The term is dropped when the CDC conducts its own test. The CDC has yet to achieve a negative outcome on its tests.
Health officials are working to reach anyone who had close contact with the person.
The person did not travel to a part of the world with COVID-19 cases, so it is believed it a a case of "community transmission."
The person attended a youth basketball game at Weston Middleton School in Weston, Oregon, on Saturday, February 29, but officials say other people at the event are at low risk of being infected.
The school district has closed the gym to be deep cleaned and disinfected as a precaution.
The school itself is a separate building from the gym, so officials say there's no risk of exposure there.
People who went to the basketball game can call the following numbers with questions:
- Oregon residents can call 211
- Washington residents: Washington State Department of Health: 800-525-0127, press #
- Walla Walla County: 509-524-2647
The first person in Oregon believed to be infected lives in Washington County and is an employee at Forest Hills Elementary School in Lake Oswego, according to Oregon Health Authority.
An email to the community from Lake Oswego Superintendent Lorna de la Cruz said that the person is in a role at Forest Hills Elementary that does not typically come in contact with students.