Associated Press and Herald staff
SEATTLE — Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s chief of staff David Postman said Tuesday that Inslee could announce an extension of the state’s COVID-19-related stay-at-home order later this week. The order is scheduled to continue through May 4 although Inslee has said portions of it would be extended.
“We’re certainly going to try to share that as soon as we can,” Postman said during a news conference.
Inslee in early April extended orders to keep non-essential businesses closed and most of the state’s more than 7 million residents home through May 4, saying social distancing measures needed to continue to minimize the spread of the coronavirus. Inslee since then has announced the easing of some restrictions.
The Washington Department of Health on Tuesday reported 21 additional deaths from the virus, bringing the total number of deaths in the state to at least 786. The agency also reported 156 more people had tested positive, increasing the number of confirmed cases to more than 13,840.
In Snohomish County, Tuesday’s tally of cumulative cases was 2,371 confirmed infections and 206 “probable” cases, with 107 dead, according to the Snohomish Health District.
Dr. Chris Spitters, the district’s health officer, warned on Tuesday that cases could surge again if residents return to their normal activities.
He cited a recent modeling analysis by the Bellevue-based Institute for Disease Modeling that found that, if physical distancing restrictions were partially relaxed at the beginning of May, King County could see cases spike to levels above the recent peak by the end of the month.
“There’s sort of a relay race going on right here. And right now, the baton is mostly in the hands of the people doing this tremendous effort of social distancing,” Spitters said. “We need you to hang onto that baton and stay with the race and keep running until these social distancing measures are slowly unlayered.”
The virus causes mild to moderate symptoms in most patients, and the vast majority recover. But it is highly contagious and can be spread by those who appear healthy and can cause severe illness and death in some patients, particularly the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has expanded its list of symptoms, encouraging health care providers to cast a wider net determining whether to test someone for the new coronavirus, Spitters said. The list — which once consisted of fever, cough and shortness of breath — now includes chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat and loss of taste or smell.
“Patients with these symptoms: you should contact your local clinic to find out whether they want you to come in or how they want to evaluate you,” Spitters said.
Herald writer Rachel Riley contributed.
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