The Associated Press
OLYMPIA — Gov. Jay Inslee has scheduled a news conference for this morning as COVID-19 case numbers soar throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Inslee’s office said he would discuss actions to combat the crisis.
For the second day in a row Saturday, state health officials reported a record number of daily cases, with 2,233 new cases as of 11:59 p.m. Friday.
That brought the state’s totals to 127,731 cases and 2,519 deaths.
Nearby states
In Oregon, officials on Saturday reported a third straight day with more than 1,000 new COVID infections. That brought Oregon’s total to 56,018 cases. The Oregon Health Authority also reported six more deaths, pushing the state’s death toll to 759.
Idaho also has been setting records for new cases and hospitalizations, adding 1,331 new cases Friday.
On Friday, the governors of California, Oregon and Washington issued travel advisories Friday urging people entering or returning to their states to self-quarantine to slow the spread of the coronavirus as infections spike across the U.S.
The advisories stopped short of stricter rules imposed by other governors and instead said people should avoid non-essential out-of-state travel and quarantine for 14 days after arriving from another state or country.
“We all must take immediate action if we want to avoid overwhelming our hospital systems,” Secretary of Health John Wiesman said in an email Friday evening. “And we must take action now to save lives — lives of the people we care for and love.”
To help slow the surge, officials Friday urged people to avoid indoor social gatherings, wear face coverings when going out and get tested if they have symptoms or close contact with someone who has the virus.
