Two new coronavirus cases confirmed in Washington

Two more cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in King County, Washington, public health officials announced Sunday morning.

That raises the total number of confirmed cases in the Seattle area to six.

“This number is expected to rise as more people are tested and results confirmed,” King County Public Health officials said in a news release.

The two new cases: A man in his 60s, who is at Valley Medical Center in Renton. The man has underlying health conditions, and is in critical but stable condition. The other new case is a man, also in his 60s, who is at Virginia Mason Medical Center. The man also has underlying health conditions, and his status is critical.

The four other Seattle-area cases that were previously announced:

▪ A woman in her 50s, who had traveled to South Korea. She is recovering at home. The woman works at a U.S. Postal Service distribution facility in Federal Way but does not handle packages, the Federal Way Mirror reported.

▪ A woman in her 70s, who was a resident of LifeCare in Kirkland, is at EvergreenHealth.

▪ A woman in her 40s, employed by LifeCare, who is at Overlake Medical Center.

▪ A man in his 50s, who was hospitalized and died at EvergreenHealth.

Also Sunday, Rhode Island reported its first probable coronavirus case — a person who recently returned from a Saint Raphael Academy field trip to Europe, The Providence Journal reported. The Catholic school in Pawtucket will be closed Monday and Tuesday.

There have been 87,495 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus worldwide and 2,990 deaths as of March 1, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been 77 confirmed cases in the United States, with one death.

The World Health Organization has labeled the coronavirus outbreak a “very high” risk of spread and impact, but has so far stopped short of declaring it a global pandemic.

This story was originally published March 1, 2020 at 12:16 PM.