SEATTLE — Health officers in Washington state stated Sunday night time {that a} second particular person had died from the coronavirus — a person in his 70s from a nursing facility close to Seattle the place dozens of individuals have been sick and had been examined for the virus.
Researchers stated earlier the virus might have been circulating for weeks undetected in Washington state.
In an announcement, Public Health—Seattle & King County stated the person died Saturday. On Friday, well being officers stated a person in his 50s died of coronavirus. Both had underlying well being situations, and each have been being handled at a hospital in Kirkland, Washington, east of Seattle.
Washington state now has 12 confirmed instances.
State and native authorities stepped up testing for the sickness because the variety of new instances grew nationwide, with new infections introduced in California, Illinois, Rhode Island, New York and Washington state.
Authorities within the Seattle space reported 4 new instances Sunday night time, together with the person who died.
The first U.S. case was a Washington state man who had visited China, the place the virus first emerged, however a number of latest instances within the U.S. have had no recognized connection to vacationers.
In California, two well being care staff within the San Francisco Bay space who cared for an earlier coronavirus affected person have been recognized with the virus Sunday, the Alameda and Solano counties stated in a joint assertion.
The well being care staff are each employed at NorthBay VacaValley Hospital in Vacaville, California, and had publicity to a affected person handled there earlier than being transferred to UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, the assertion stated. That affected person was the primary particular person within the U.S. found to have contracted the coronavirus with no recognized abroad journey.
Elsewhere, authorities introduced Sunday a 3rd case in Illinois and Rhode Island and New York’s first instances as frightened Americans swarmed shops to top off on fundamental items comparable to bottled water, canned meals and bathroom paper.
The hospitalized affected person in Rhode Island is a person in his 40s who had traveled to Italy in February. New York confirmed Sunday {that a} lady in her late 30s contracted the virus whereas touring in Iran. The affected person is just not in severe situation. She has respiratory signs and has been in a managed state of affairs since arriving in New York, in response to an announcement from the governor’s workplace.
As the fallout continued, Vice President Mike Pence and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar sought to reassure the American public that the federal authorities is working to verify state and native authorities are capable of take a look at for the virus. Both stated throughout a spherical of TV speak present appearances Sunday that 1000’s extra testing kits had been distributed to state and native officers, with 1000’s extra to return.
“They should know we have the best public health system in the world looking out for them,” Azar stated, including that further instances might be reported and the general threat to Americans is low.
As the instances ticked up, some Americans stocked up on fundamental provides — notably in areas with recognized instances — and commenced to be aware of the impression on each day life. Stores comparable to Costco bought out of bathroom paper, bottled water and hand sanitizer exterior Portland, Oregon, the place a case was introduced Friday. Sports video games and practices have been canceled into the approaching faculty week. Some church buildings stated they might not provide communion due to fears of viral unfold.
Pence, named by the president to be the point-person overseeing the federal government’s response, stated greater than 15,000 virus testing kits had been launched over the weekend. And, the administration is working with a industrial supplier to distribute 50,000 extra, he stated.
The vice chairman stated testing was among the many first points raised by governors he’s spoken with thus far. Several states have begun their very own testing, together with Washington state, Oregon and Illinois.
“We’re leaning into it,” Pence stated.
Azar stated greater than 3,600 individuals have already got been…