At least four more people have died of coronavirus in Washington state, bringing the death toll in the United States to six.
So far, all coronavirus deaths have occurred in Washington state, three of which were residents of the Life Care Center of Kirkland nursing home. Six of the state’s confirmed coronavirus cases are residents of Life Care, and at least 27 are showing signs of the virus. As of last week, Life Care has stopped allowing visitors into the center in an effort to contain the outbreak.
Dr. Kathy Lofy told reporters that five deaths were reported as of Monday afternoon just before Dr. Ettore Palazzo at EvergreenHealth, where several patients are being treated, announced that a sixth person had died, according to CNBC.
“So, six should be the correct number,” Lofy said. “We were, at the department, aware of the five deaths from King County. We had not received the report about the Snohomish County patient just yet … apologize for that.”
As statewide cases continue to increase, health officials are considering other means to contain the outbreak without taking up space in hospitals, which are straining to care for everyone exhibiting symptoms. For instance, Dow Constantine, King County executive, said Monday that health officials are in final negotiations to purchase a motel in Seattle to isolate coronavirus patients without taking up beds in area hospitals.
Seattle and King County public health officials told residents to go to their primary care doctors if they begin showing symptoms of the virus, rather than going straight to the hospital.
“Do not go to the emergency room unless essential,” officials said Monday. “Emergency rooms need to be able to serve those with the most critical needs.”
At least 96 people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, and nearly 90,000 people have been infected worldwide. Last week, Nancy Messonnier, the director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, warned that further spread of the virus is inevitable. The virus has started to spread from person to person, even among those who haven’t visited countries seeing a surge in cases.
