First U.S. Health Worker Infected With Coronavirus Amid Potential Spread in Nursing Community

Politico Pro is reporting that a health care worker and a resident of a long-term care facility in Washington state have tested positive for coronavirus, fueling worries of a potential outbreak in the facility, state officials confirmed over the weekend. The two patients are among three new cases that have been confirmed in Washington state as of press time. The third patient, a man in his 50s with underlying health conditions, has succumbed to the virus. According to local health officials, he did not have a known association with the health care facility. Jeffrey Duchin, Seattle and King County health officer, told reporters on a call that 27 patients in the health care facility and 25 staff have symptoms of the coronavirus and will be tested. "We are working with a CDC team arriving tonight to assess each and every one of these people and provide appropriate guidance," Duchin said. Federal officials say they expect more cases of community spread in the coming days. "You will hear about additional cases that will be coming on, and you should not be surprised by that," Anthony Fauci, NIH's top infectious disease expert, said at a White House briefing Saturday morning. "The challenge is how we deal with it."