More Coronavirus Deaths Reported in Washington State, 9 Total in US

A worker shields a patient on a stretcher being taken to an ambulance at the Life Care Center of Kirkland in Washington state on Feb. 29, 2020. David Ryder/Getty Images

Officials in King County, Washington, on Tuesday confirmed two more deaths and seven more cases of COVID-19 coronavirus.

“Today’s results include 2 additional deaths, along with an individual who was previously reported as ill but who has now died. This brings the total number of deaths in King County from COVID-19 to eight,” according to King County officials in a statement. A person is also confirmed to have died of COVID-19 in nearby Snohomish County on Monday, meaning that nine people have died in Washington state and the United States at large.

Local health officials in Snohomish confirmed two more cases of the virus, reported KIRO7, which reported that staff at the Harborview Medical Center might have been exposed to the mysterious new illness by a man who died at the facility and later tested positive. So far, 27 total cases have been reported in Washington state.

“This is a very fluid, fast-moving situation as we aggressively respond to this outbreak,” said Dr. Jeff Duchin, Health Officer for Public Health for Seattle and King County, in a statement. “People with suspected or confirmed exposure to COVID-19 should reach out to their healthcare provider. As public health professionals we really appreciate clinicians on the front lines of patient care and they are critical to this response.”

A stretcher is moved from an AMR ambulance to the Life Care Center of Kirkland where one associate and one resident were diagnosed with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on Feb. 29, 2020. Jason Redmond/AFP via Getty Images

Over the weekend and on Monday, as new deaths and cases were reported, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and King County both declared states of emergency to combat the spread of the virus.

Five of the eight deaths in King County have been traced back to the Life Care Center nursing home in Kirkland. Now, around 50 patients and staff at the facility are being tested for COVID-19, according to King County officials. Many of the patients who died were elderly or had underlying health problems.

However, officials confirmed that two male patients in their 20s are both hospitalized at Swedish Issaquah hospital, a woman in her 40s is recovering at home, and a Life Care employee in her 40s is hospitalized at the Overlake Medical Center.

Despite the dire updates, health officials said that they haven’t observed “widespread transmission locally” of the virus.

“The coming days and weeks are likely to bring more confirmed cases of COVID-19, but if we can all follow health recommendations now, we can blunt the impact of COVID-19 in our community,” the county wrote.