Washington state sees 10 virus deaths, closures weighed
A pair of workers at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport wear masks Tuesday, March 3, 2020, in SeaTac, Wash. Six of the 18 Western Washington residents with the coronavirus have died as health officials rush to test more suspected cases and communities brace for spread of the disease. All confirmed cases of the virus in Washington are in Snohomish and King counties. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Shelves that previously held masks and respirators are bare at a Home Depot Store in Seattle, Tuesday, March 3, 2020. In addition to the shortages of hand sanitizer, hospitals are more concerned about a shortage of face masks, which people have been snatching up despite pleas from health officials. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
A worker wears a mask at the Life Care Center in Kirkland, Wash., near Seattle, walks near a UPS truck during a package delivery, Monday, March 2, 2020. Several of the people who have died in Washington state from the COVID-19 coronavirus were tied to the long-term care facility, where dozens of residents were sick. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
A worker at the Life Care Center in Kirkland, Wash., near Seattle, wears a mask as she walks near a UPS truck during a package delivery, Monday, March 2, 2020. Several of the people who have died in Washington state from the COVID-19 coronavirus were tied to the long-term care facility, where dozens of residents were sick. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Travelers Meredith Ponder, left, and Coleby Hanisch, both of Des Moines, Iowa, wear masks to remind them not to touch their faces as they ride a train at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Tuesday, March 3, 2020, in SeaTac, Wash. Six of the 18 Western Washington residents with the coronavirus have died as health officials rush to test more suspected cases and communities brace for spread of the disease. All confirmed cases of the virus in Washington are in Snohomish and King counties. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Travelers at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport wear masks Tuesday, March 3, 2020, in SeaTac, Wash. Six of the 18 Western Washington residents with the coronavirus have died as health officials rush to test more suspected cases and communities brace for spread of the disease. All confirmed cases of the virus in Washington are in Snohomish and King counties. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, right, orders food at the Uwajimaya Asian Food and Gift Market, Tuesday, March 3, 2020, in Seattle's International District. Inslee said the visit was to encourage people to keep patronizing businesses during the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak. Earlier in the day, following a tour at a health clinic, Inslee urged people to wash hands frequently and practice other measures of health hygiene, and to stay home from work and public events if they don't feel well or have any symptoms of illness. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, right, bumps elbows with a worker at the seafood counter of the Uwajimaya Asian Food and Gift Market, Tuesday, March 3, 2020, in Seattle's International District. Inslee said he's doing the elbow bump with people instead of shaking hands to prevent the spread of germs, and that his visit to the store was to encourage people to keep patronizing businesses during the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak. Earlier in the day, following a tour at a health clinic, Inslee urged people to wash hands frequently and practice other measures of health hygiene, and to stay home from w…
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee speaks to the press at the state Department of Health about the latest updates on coronavirus in the state, Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in Tumwater, Wash. The state has now reported 39 COVID-19 cases, all in the greater Seattle area, including 10 deaths. (AP Photo/Rachel La Corte)
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee speaks to the press at about the latest updates on coronavirus in the state, while joined by Secretary of Health John Wiesman and Nathan Weed, incident commander for the coronavirus response team, center, Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in Tumwater, Wash. The state has now reported 39 COVID-19 cases, all in the greater Seattle area, including 10 deaths. (AP Photo/Rachel La Corte)
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, right, is joined by Nathan Weed, incident commander for the coronavirus response team at Department of Health, as they arrive at a potential coronavirus isolation and quarantine site, Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in Centralia, Wash. The state has now reported 39 COVID-19 cases, all in the greater Seattle area, including 10 deaths. (AP Photo/Rachel La Corte)
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, left, stands inside a recreation vehicle at a potential coronavirus isolation and quarantine site with Nathan Weed, incident commander for the coronavirus response team at Department of Health, Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in Centralia, Wash. Eight RVs are located at the site. (AP Photo/Rachel La Corte)
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, left, leaves a recreation vehicle at a potential coronavirus isolation and quarantine site with Nathan Weed, incident commander for the coronavirus response team at Department of Health, Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in Centralia, Wash. Eight RVs are located at the site. The state has now reported 39 COVID-19 cases, all in the greater Seattle area, including 10 deaths. (AP Photo/Rachel La Corte)
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, center, stands in front of a recreation vehicle at a potential coronavirus isolation and quarantine site with Nathan Weed, incident commander for the coronavirus response team at Department of Health, Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in Centralia, Wash. Eight RVs are located at the site. The state has now reported 39 COVID-19 cases, all in the greater Seattle area, including 10 deaths. (AP Photo/Rachel La Corte)
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, left, talks with with Nathan Weed, incident commander for the coronavirus response team at Department of Health, outside a recreation vehicle at a potential coronavirus isolation and quarantine site, Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in Centralia, Wash. Eight RVs are located at the site. The state has now reported 39 COVID-19 cases, all in the greater Seattle area, including 10 deaths. (AP Photo/Rachel La Corte)
SEATTLE (AP) — Washington state on Wednesday reported a 10th coronavirus death and Gov. Jay Inslee said he was evaluating whether to order widespread closures and cancellations due to the outbreak.
The state Department of Health released updated figures showing nine people had died in King County, the state’s most populous county, and one in Snohomish County. The state has now reported 39 COVID-19 cases, all in the greater Seattle area.
Of the 10 new King County cases announced Wednesday, nine were associated with a Kirkland nursing home that has seen the bulk of the illnesses and deaths, including a woman in her 90s who died Tuesday.
Dr. Jeff Duchin, public health officer in Seattle and King County, said two doctors had been deployed to Life Center in Kirkland to help staff during the “unprecedented outbreak” in the region.
“This is a very stressful situation for the families of the residents of the center,” he told reporters. “We have a CDC team that has been on site ... at Life Care providing infection control guidance.”
Seattle area schools were mulling teaching students online in the event of prolonged closures over health concerns. The schools took the steps after researchers said the virus that causes the disease called COVID-19 may have been circulating for weeks undetected in the state. Experts said more cases will probably be reported.
More than 20 schools in the Puget Sound area have closed for at least a day for cleaning prompted by coronavirus concerns, according to the Washington superintendent of public instruction.
Renton school officials announced Tuesday that Hazen High School would close for the rest of the week after a student tested positive for coronavirus. The school will be closed “as they work to determine who, if anybody, came in contact with the ill student to ensure it is safe for students and staff to return to school,” the district said on the school's website. The student was home recovering.
Seattle Public Schools has so far said the district would not close, but it was monitoring the situation.
King County Executive Dow Constantine said businesses were encouraged to implement telecommuting and that the county would use the practice with some workers for the next three weeks. He acknowledged. however, that many government workers such as police and bus drivers don't have that option.
He also said community groups should avoid creating large gatherings of more than 10 people. “The main message is, if you don’t have to be in close contact with others – 6 feet – don’t be,” Duchin said.
Inslee said that for now, he was deferring to the judgment of organizations on whether large gatherings or events should be canceled.
“I believe all leaders who are involved in large events should seriously consider the risk associated with this,” he said.
“I will not be afraid to make that decision if it becomes the right thing for the state of Washington,” he said.
He also said wide scale school closures hadn’t been ordered because “there are so many ramifications for families and businesses,” especially for health care workers who might not be able to go to work because of child care issues.
Inslee took a tour Wednesday of a potential quarantine site in Centralia, about 20 miles south of Olympia, where eight RVs were set up to receive people if needed. Four of the RVs could be used for isolating people who have symptoms, and four could be used to quarantine people who have been exposed but are not sick.
Vice President Mike Pence plans to meet Thursday with Inslee and other state officials about the response to the virus during a visit to the state.
“We continue to be very grateful and very impressed with Washington state's efforts,” Pence said.
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AP writer Rachel La Corte contributed from Olympia, Washington, and AP writer Lisa Baumann contributed from Seattle.