March 2020

New King County cases of 2019 novel coronavirus

Public Health – Seattle & King County and the Washington State Department of Health are announcing new cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, including one death. The person who died was a man in his 50s with underlying health conditions who had no history of travel or contact with a known COVID-19 case. Public Health is also reporting two cases of COVID-19 virus connected to a long-term care facility in King County. Read the full news release

Public Health-Seattle & King County is continuing to carefully monitor the virus outbreak, which emerged in Wuhan, China in December. They provide detailed information on several channels, including the following:

- A special coronavirus website where you can subscribe to email alerts
- A blog post on what happens if the virus spreads here
- A blog post on what you can do to prepare

COVID-19 is spreading globally and we can expect to see more cases locally, but keep in mind that most coronavirus illnesses are mild with fever and cough. Most do not require hospital care. A small percentage of cases are severe and may include pneumonia, particularly in elderly people and people with underlying medical conditions.

There are specific actions everyone can take to reduce their risk of catching any virus, including the following:

- More hand washing and less face touching. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands. 
- Cover your mouth/nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing.
- Regular use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer covering all surfaces of the hands and rubbing them together until dry.
- Avoid contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home while you are sick and avoid close contact with others.