Homeless man dies while staying at Kent Covid-19 isolation site

KENT, Wash. -- A man in his 60s died this morning while staying at a former Kent motel that King County purchased to use as a coronavirus isolation site.

Officials did not say whether he died of complications from COVID-19. The death will be investigated by the King County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The man moved to the Kent motel, which the county bought for isolation and quarantine for people with symptoms of COVID-19 but no place to isolate, on April 17, officials said in a news release.

Seventy people are now staying there.

“We are all saddened by the death of our guest,” said Leo Flor, director of the King County Department of Community and Human Services and Patty Hayes, director of Public Health – Seattle & King County in a statement. “We will continue to work around the clock to ensure that all King County residents, including those without a home, have a dignified place to be when receiving care for this virus.”