Health officials warn of coronavirus transmission at a critical moment
SEATTLE - Health officials warned Thursday afternoon that Covid-19 infections are rising across our state.
Plus, due to the coming 4th of July weekend which typically encouraged large gatherings of family and friends, health officials warn it could be a recipe for disaster in terms of a viral threat amidst a pandemic in America.
What once was in early June a steady increase of 40 new infections each day has by early July jumped to about 100.
Q13 News has learned there are multiple large gatherings slated for the holiday: Some of those in defiance of recommendations as a form of protesting local governments that cancelled public festivals surrounding the 4th of July, while others are announced demonstrations mirroring calls for change due to police brutality and racial inequity.
Health officials in King County warned protests of any kind could become a way to spread the virus.
“We hope they weigh that risk carefully,” said county health officer Dr. Jeffrey Duchin. “If it’s something that has to happen, any type of gathering, we must take precautions.”
Those methods include social distancing, utilizing face covers while in proximity to others while avoiding close, face-to-face contact.
Among the most recent infection cases in King County, about a third of those testing positive are in the younger population between the ages of 20-30.
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