One confirmed Coronavirus death in Seattle area

SEATTLE, Wash.-- The Washington State Department of Health (WSDOH) confirmed Saturday morning that a man has died from complications from COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus.

"It is a sad day in our state as we learn that a Washingtonian has died from COVID-19. Our hearts go out to his family and friends. We will continue to work toward a day where no one dies from this virus," Gov. Jay Inslee said in a written statement following Saturday morning's announcement. "In partnership with the Washington State Department of Health, the Washington State Department of Emergency Management and local and community health partners, we are strengthening our preparedness and response efforts. I am committed to keeping Washingtonians healthy, safe and informed."

The Washington State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has been activated in response to the growing concern about the spread of the virus, this following Friday night's announcement from the WSDOH that it had confirmed two additional "presumptive positive" cases of coronavirus.

A presumptive positive is a test that comes back positive at the Public Health Laboratory and is pending confirmation at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.)

The individuals reside in King and Snohomish Counties. In King County, a woman in her 50s with confirmed travel to Daegu, South Korea is a presumptive positive. She is currently in home isolation.

The second case involves a high school student in Snohomish County with no travel history. He is currently in home isolation. That patient visited Seattle Children’s North Clinic on Monday, Feb. 24. Snohomish County Health District is working alongside the Everett Public Schools to ensure the safety of students and staff at Jackson High School, where this student attends. Everett Public Schools is taking this very seriously and in an abundance of caution, the superintendent has decided to close Jackson High School on Monday to allow three days for deep cleaning.

The closure forced the relocatiion the Kamiakin High School state basketball tournament game against Marysville-Pilchuck, which was originally scheduled to be played at Jackson High School.

The game will now be played at Shoreline High School.

Health officials say the King County case is believed to be travel-related, but haven't determined how or where the new Snohomish County patient was infected.

Also Friday night, health officials in Oregon confirmed a third U.S. case of coronavirus of unknown origin — not through travel or known contact with an infected individual.

That case, diagnosed through one of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s testing kits, was found in an individual who works as a school employee in Clackamas County, who “may have exposed students and staff there,” according to the Washington County Department of Health and Human Services. The sample will be sent to CDC’s Atlanta headquarters for confirmation.

The school where the person works is being closed as an investigation is ongoing and parents of students are being informed.

“We are awaiting confirmation of the test results from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but at this time we are considering this a presumptive case,” Dr. Dean Sidelinger, the health officer and state epidemiologist for the Oregon Public Health Division, said in a statement. “The person in now appropriate isolation and appropriate care.”

As long as it is confirmed, this would be the third case of community spread, added to cases in Santa Clara and Solano counties in California.

The WSDOH is providing updated information on it website, showing the status of cases in the state.

Meanwhile, healthcare systems are getting ready to potentially see more patients than usual. Schools are receiving updated guidance on what to do to stay safe if they have cases, and what preventative measures they should take if they do not. School districts in the Tri-Cities and Walla Walla released information about their preparedness plans last week. People are thought to be most contagious when they are the sickest, though some spread is possible before people show symptoms.

Health officials are warning that prevention of COVID-19 starts with practicing good personal health habits, including staying home when you’re sick, covering your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, washing your hands often with soap and water, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces and objects.

WSDOH has established a call center to address questions from the public. If you have questions about what is happening in Washington state please call 1-800-525-0127 and press #.