'This is bigger than all of us' - Restaurants, bars, entertainment venues close statewide

Gov. Inslee orders restaurants, bars, entertainment venues to close across Washington

SEATTLE -- Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is ordering all bars, restaurants, entertainment and recreation facilities to temporarily close to fight the spread of coronavirus in the state with by far the most deaths in the U.S. from the disease.

Six more people died of the new coronavirus in King County, health officials reported Monday. They ranged in age from 50 to 90 and included a resident of a nursing center in Redmond, Washington.

The number of positive cases in the state Monday rose to more than 900 including 48 deaths, state health officials reported.

Inslee signed the emergency proclamation Monday afternoon. It doesn’t apply to grocery stores and pharmacies and restaurants can continue take-out and delivery services.

King County announced Sunday night it would take these actions immediately. Restaurants, bars, dance halls, clubs, theaters, health and fitness clubs, and other similar indoor social or recreational venues were ordered to cease operations.

The ban will last for at least the next two weeks. Inslee also revised his ban on events to prohibit gatherings of 50 or more people. Previously the size limit was more than 250.

Coronavirus death toll reaches 42 in Washington state

There were more than 3,700 cases nationwide as of Sunday night and more than 169,000 cases worldwide. In Washington state, 42 people have died and 796 have tested positive.

Of the more than 10,200 tests administered so far in Washington, 9,451 were negative.

The two new deaths on Sunday -- a woman in her 60s and a woman in her 70s -- were both residents of Life Care Center of Kirkland, the center of the state's outbreak. Public health officials said 29 of the 42 deaths are linked to the Kirkland nursing home.

There are 37 deaths in King County, four deaths in Snohomish County and one reported in Grant County as of Sunday afternoon.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover.