COVID-19 daily report for Mountlake Terrace and Snohomish County: March 28, 2020

Sound advice: Wash your hands

The Snohomish Heath District is no longer providing updated COVID-19 statistics on Saturday or Sunday. So we will present the latest statewide numbers, by county, from the Washington State Department of Health.

2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Washington

Updated on March 28, 2020 at 4:25 p.m.

The data in this report is reflective of all cases received as of 11:59 PM 3/27/2020.  A small percentage of lab reports (<1%) have yet to be reviewed and are currently counted as negatives*

Confirmed Cases / Deaths by County

County Positive/Confirmed Cases Deaths
Adams 5 0
Benton 56 5
Chelan 13 1
Clallam 5 0
Clark 82 6
Columbia 1 0
Cowlitz 10 0
Douglas 5 0
Ferry 1 0
Franklin 16 0
Grant 44 1
Grays Harbor 1 0
Island 92 1
Jefferson 13 0
King 2077 136
Kitsap 49 0
Kittitas 8 0
Klickitat 7 0
Lewis 7 0
Lincoln 1 0
Mason 2 0
Okanogan 3 0
Pierce 282 5
San Juan 4 0
Skagit 97 3
Skamania 1 0
Snohomish 912 23
Spokane 108 2
Stevens 3 0
Thurston 33 0
Walla Walla 4 0
Whatcom 102 4
Whitman 6 0
Yakima 100 2
Unassigned 160
Total 4310 189

 

 

Note on the county and unassigned data: This data changes rapidly as labs conduct tests and discover new cases. Labs assign those cases to a county. Counties or the Department of Health then determine the appropriate county of jurisdiction. Those don’t always match initially. We’re working to reduce the “unassigned” number to 0. Contact the local health department for county specific information.

Note on the deaths: Some deaths may be reported by health care providers, medical examiners/coroners, local health departments, or others before they are included in the statewide count. It takes longer for the state to announce deaths because they are often reported first to the local health department and then to us.

Note on the number of infections: Public health experts agree that the true number of people who have been infected with COVID-19 in Washington greatly exceeds the number of COVID-19 infections that have been laboratory-confirmed. It is very difficult to know exactly how many people in Washington have been infected to date since most people with COVID-19 experience mild illness and the ability to get tested is still not widely available.

Our latest coverage

Updated March 28: Directory of Mountlake Terrace restaurants offering takeout, delivery

A positive impact of social distancing: fewer traffic collisions

Snohomish County’s isolation and quarantine facility opens next week

Other COVID-19 news

Gov. Inslee issues additional guidance on funerals and real estate transactions, letter to tribal governments

Gov. Jay Inslee announced additional guidance Saturday related to the “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” proclamation to slow the spread of COVID-19. Inslee also sent a government-to-government letter to Washington’s tribal communities.

Guidance on funerals

In partnership with the governor’s office, the Washington State Department of Licensing sent additional guidance to funeral homes and cemeteries Saturday.

The letter from DOL reads, in part:

“As your licensing agency for mortuary services, we provide the following guidance. Licensed funeral homes and cemeteries may conduct funeral services in a funeral home or graveside under the following conditions:

  • Funerals are only attended by immediate family members of the deceased.
  • The family members in attendance must maintain proper social distancing, defined by the Centers for Disease Control as staying 6 feet apart.

“We have also received questions about embalming. The governor’s proclamation does not prohibit embalming.”

Read the full letter.

Guidance on real estate transactions

Inslee also sent a letter that provides further guidance on real estate transactions today. The letter reads, in part:

“While real estate activities along with mortgage lending activities have been approved as
essential activities under the Proclamation, such activities shall only be permitted under the
following restrictions and limitations:

  • In-person meetings with customers are prohibited except when necessary for a customer
    to view a property or sign necessary documents;
  • No real estate open houses shall be permitted;
  • Property viewings, inspections, appraisals, and final walk-throughs shall be arranged by
    appointment and limited to no more than two people on site at any one time, exercising
    social distancing at all times; and
  • Except for the limited exceptions authorized above, all new real estate listings shall be
    facilitated remotely.

Read the full letter.

Letter to tribal governments

The governor sent a letter to tribal governments throughout the state yesterday, as part of government-to-government communications. The letter reads, in part:

“First, none of my Emergency Proclamation orders apply to conduct on tribal lands. Tribal governments, as sovereign nations, are making their own decisions in response to the current COVID-19 emergency.

“Second, constituents have presented several questions to my office regarding individuals who commute to tribal lands or Washington businesses that work on tribal lands. While I have defined essential activities (for purposes of Emergency Proclamation 20-25) in Washington, tribal leaders maintain sovereignty to define essential activity on tribal lands.”

Washington State Department of Health update

Caring for loved ones

Many of us are worried about, or trying to take care of, loved ones who are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19. Today we released guidance for taking care of someone who is at high risk or is already sick with respiratory illness.

If you are caring for someone who is well now, but at higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19, there are some steps you can take to help keep them safe.

  • Contact their health care provider to ask about getting extra necessary medications to have on hand in case you and your loved one need to stay home for a prolonged period of time. If you cannot get extra medications, consider using mail-order for medications. Ensure you have enough medical supplies (oxygen, incontinence, dialysis, wound care, etc.) and create a back-up plan for getting more.
  • Make sure your loved one has non-perishable food items on hand.
  • Determine who can care for your loved one if you become sick. Stay in touch with others by phone or email. You may need to ask for help from friends, family, neighbors, community health workers, or someone else in your network. Create an emergency contact list.

We have also included in this guidance practical strategies to reduce your risk of getting sick while caring for someone even if you don’t have access to standard personal protective equipment (masks, gloves, gown). These strategies are not as good as using the standard equipment, but they may help to reduce your risk of getting sick, and are better than nothing.

  • Keep your care environment clean. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces like tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, desks, toilets, faucets, sinks, and cell phones. See EPA-registered disinfectants that kill COVID-19.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing, or having been in a public place.
  • If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
  • Avoid touching your face, nose, and eyes.
  • To the extent possible, avoid high-touch surfaces in public places — elevator buttons, door handles, handrails, handshaking with people, etc. Use a tissue or your sleeve to cover your hand or finger if you must touch something.
  • If more food is needed, consider ways of getting food brought to the house through family, social, or commercial networks.

This guidance is available on in 26 languages on our COVID-19 Education Materials webpage under the heading “Information for families caregiving for loved ones.”

Check on the caregivers in your life

Do you know someone who is balancing care of an inter-generational household? Check in with them. How could you help? See if you can safely give them a break or help take some things like errands or chores off their plate. There may be ways you can support them while still taking social distancing precautions to keep them and those they care for protected.

 

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