Summary:
Public Health – Seattle & King County provides tips to minimize risk when travelling to necessary medical appointments – including for people who have symptoms of COVID-19. In addition, Public Health reported 202 new cases of COVID-19 today, bringing the official case count in King County to 3688. Fourteen new deaths were reported, bringing the total of COVID-19 deaths in King County to 244.
Story: Tips for safer transportation to necessary medical care
Even with the Governor’s Stay at Home order in place, people may need to travel to a medical provider for important medical appointments or to seek care for COVID-like illness.
Whenever possible, drive yourself or have a friend or family member give you a ride in a personal vehicle to minimize exposure to others. Limit the number of people in the car to as few as possible, ensure everyone in the car wears a mask, increase airflow as much as possible by putting the windows down, and clean and disinfect all surfaces before and after the trip.
People should avoid public transportation, ride-sharing or taxis. Public Health is working with King County Metro to create a separate service for COVID-positive individuals who need to travel for medical care.
Working with Metro to develop COVID-transportation for people with disabilities
Metro Access is maintaining its traditional service area, hours and days of service, and may be an option for fixed-route riders with disabilities who are not currently certified for Access service.
Customers with disabilities who are no longer able to reach their essential destinations using fixed-route service can contact the Access Transportation Call Center at 206-205-5000 for assistance with both urgent and ongoing essential transportation needs.
Customers with disabilities who have urgent transportation needs do not need to be currently certified for Access service. However, those with an ongoing need for transportation will need to apply for Access service through Metro’s temporarily streamlined eligibility process.
To learn more about safely travelling to medical appointments, see Public Health Insider, the news blog for Public Health.
Everyone, even people who are young and healthy, must stay home to slow the spread of COVID-19. Each individual’s actions affect the health of our entire community, and what we do as a community protects us all. Stand Together, Stay Apart
For additional information about COVID-19 and the response in King County, be sure to check our webpage: www.kingcounty.gov/covid
Case updates
Public Health – Seattle & King County is reporting the following confirmed cases and deaths due to COVID-19 through 11:59 p.m. on 4/7/20.
- 3688 confirmed positive cases (up 202* from yesterday)
- 244 confirmed deaths (up 14 from yesterday)
* The “new confirmed positive cases” figure we publish each day represents all new confirmed cases reported to us through 11:59 the night prior. Some of these test results were processed on days prior but were delayed in being reported to us.
Detailed information about demographics of those who died from COVID-19 is available on the data dashboard (www.kingcounty.gov/covid/data).
Temporary changes in reporting of negative COVID-19 test results
King County’s COVID-19 data dashboard (www.kingcounty.gov/covid/data) is based on data provided by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH). As of April 4, 2020, DOH has temporarily stopped reporting data on negative test results. As a result, we are no longer displaying information on negative test results on our data dashboard.
Isolation and quarantine facilities update
Isolation and quarantine is a proven public health practice for reducing the spread of disease. Examples of people who may need this assistance include people who cannot safely isolate from a family member who is elderly or medically fragile, or people experiencing homelessness. Individuals can only be placed into the King County sites after a health professional with Public Health has determined that they need isolation or quarantine.
Forty-seven people are currently staying in King County isolation and quarantine facilities.
The number of residents at King County’s isolation and quarantine sites will be included in regular updates provided by Public Health. No other identifying or personal information will be provided.