Washington Adds 279 Coronavirus Cases, 29 Deaths

SEATTLE, WA — The Washington Department of Health added 279 lab-confirmed coronavirus cases to the statewide tally Friday afternoon and 29 additional deaths linked to the virus. At least 9,887 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the outbreak began, and 479 people have died, according to state data.

In King County, public health officials confirmed 231 new COVID-19 illnesses Friday, and 19 more deaths were reported.

UW Virology, the lab that processes the majority of tests conducted in Washington, posted on social media that the overall positivity rate appears to be trending downward.

Ahead of a sunny Easter weekend, Inslee asks Washington to redouble its commitment to social distancing

The National Weather Service forecast calls for a sunny, warm holiday weekend across Western Washington, with afternoon highs hitting the 60s in many areas by Sunday. Despite the welcome weather, the governor and public health officials are reminding Washingtonians that the era of social distancing is far from over.

During a press conference Friday afternoon, Gov. Jay Inslee pointed to several graphs from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation showing promising results in the weeks ahead, but only if people remain unwavering in their adherence to the "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" order.

Another illustration shows the potential consequences if the state lets up on its efforts too soon. The updated modeling shows preventable deaths related to the virus rebounding quickly, should social distancing measure today, or even two weeks from now.

Current modeling shows the first wave of the epidemic should end by early June, with no new deaths reported by July and August. For that projection to become reality, researchers say widespread social distancing efforts must remain in place until at least the end of May.

Public health officials are encouraging everyone to limit outdoor activities this weekend to things like gardening, exercising or short walks near their homes, adhering to the six-foot rule and avoiding congregating in groups. To help ensure state mandates are followed, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan ordered the closure of 15 major parks and beaches, between Friday night and Monday morning.

All King County parks and trails remain closed during the outbreak, along with state parks, campgrounds and other recreational lands.

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Washington must act to protect inmates, state Supreme Court rules

Gov. Jay Inslee and Department of Corrections Secretary Steven Sinclair must develop an emergency action plan to protect Washington inmates during the coronavirus outbreak, the state's highest court ruled Friday. In a unanimous decision, justices sided with petitioners who filed an emergency motion seeking immediate measures after several inmates tested positive at the Monroe Correctional Complex this week.

The state must provide the court a list of steps it will take by Monday, and submit an update by April 17.

A petition filed in March is seeking the release of thousands of inmates over 50, those with underlying health conditions and incarcerated people within 18 months of their release date. In Friday's ruling, the court said it would hear oral arguments in the lawsuit on April 23, as originally scheduled.

Bainbridge Island police officer dies from potential COVID-19 illness

Bainbridge Island city officials announced the death of Officer Kurt Enget Monday morning, a five-year veteran of the police department. In a press release, the city said an official cause of death has not been determined, but Enget was receiving treatment for an illness with similar symptoms as those seen in COVID-19 cases.

Enget, 49, graduated South Kitsap High School in 1989. According to the city, he worked for Safeway for 18 years before deciding to become a police officer, starting his career at the Suquamish Police Department in 2005.

Enget joined the Bainbridge Island Police Department in 2015, and become a certified K-9 handler in 2019. According to the police department, Enget received several commendations during his five years on the force, including two life-saving awards.

Officer Enget is survived by his wife, three children and two grandchildren. An online fundraiser to help support his family can be found here.

King County releases preliminary demographics data on coronavirus cases

Seattle and King County Public Health released preliminary data Friday categorizing confirmed COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths by race and ethnicity. Public health officials said the numbers help illustrate how the illness is impacting people across all races and ethnicities, but more information is needed to determine how some groups may be affected disproportionately.

"Many diseases, including COVID-19, have the potential to disproportionately impact people with serious underlying health conditions and those who are socially and economically disadvantaged," said Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer for King County.

Since testing is not widespread throughout the community, public health officials said early data is unlikely to provide a full picture of the virus's impact and noted access to testing is greater for those with more access to healthcare.

Demographics among COVID-19 deaths in King County*
- 74% white
- 15% Asian
- 4% Black
- 5% Hispanic or Latino
- 1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
*Data from 274 patients, as of April 10, 2020.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal unveils "Paycheck Guarantee Act"

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., unveiled a plan Friday to guarantee salaries for all American workers earning up to $100,000 annually. Under the congresswoman's proposal, the federal government would provide grants to employers of all sizes to provide payroll for up to three months, and including pay dating back to the start of the crisis.

Jayapal said a lack of significant action would risk a scenario akin to the Great Depression and drastically slow the ability of the economy to restart after the virus is defeated. Keeping workers in place and their companies ready to return, the congresswoman says, would allow businesses to quickly resume operations.

CNN reports the government will begin direct depositing one-time economic stimulus payments to taxpayers next week.