Washington State virus death toll rises to six

The death toll from the new coronavirus in the United States rose to six on Monday, all in the state of Washington a spokeswoman for the local health department told AFP .

Five of the deceased were in King County, the most populous area where Seattle is located, and one in Snohomish County, closest to the Canadian border, she said.

“We believe that the number of cases will continue to rise in the coming days and weeks; we are taking this situation with extreme seriousness, ”Dr. Jeff Duchin, head of public health in Seattle and King County, told reporters.

“The risk that all of us will be infected will continue to rise. And although most cases will be moderate or mild, the infection can cause serious illness and there is a potential for many people to get sick at the same time,” he warned.

The counyu is  are in the final negotiation to buy a motel in which they can isolate the infected. “We have to move towards a new stage in the fight to contain, mitigate and manage this outbreak,” he said.

A total of 18 cases of the coronavirus were registered in the state of Washington, according to authorities.

The United States has more than 90 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus, mostly on the west coast.