The first fatality in the United States from the coronavirus was confirmed Saturday by the Washington State Department of Health. "The first US death from COVID-19 has occurred here in the state of Washington," the department said in a tweet, referring to the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus.
The patient died at a hospital in Kirkland, Washington, near Seattle, and was a man in his 50s with an underlying health condition, Washington state health officials said subsequently, during a briefing Saturday afternoon. President Donald Trump had earlier identified the victim as a woman, The New York Times reported, with the Times adding later that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it had also misstated the patient's gender at the president's news conference.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said Saturday morning that the state is working to keep its citizens safe, and he later declared a state of emergency.
"In partnership with the Washington State Department of Health, the Washington State Department of Emergency Management and local and community health partners, we are strengthening our preparedness and response efforts," Inslee said in a statement. "I am committed to keeping Washingtonians healthy, safe and informed."
Discovered in December in China, the coronavirus has spread globally, so far killing more than 2,900 people and infecting about 86,000, with around 70 cases in the US as of Saturday. Washington state was also the site of the first case in the US, a traveler who'd returned from China. The person has since recovered and been released, the Times noted.
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State health officials said Saturday that there wasn't any evidence that the patient who died in Washington had recently traveled or been in contact with anyone known to be infected. On Friday, similarly unexplained cases of coronavirus infections appeared in Northern California and Oregon, with specialists saying they could point to a spread of the virus in the US, the Times said. Officials said Saturday that the CDC would send a team to Washington state to assist in an investigation of the virus there.
Kirkland, Washington, site of Saturday's death, is also adjacent to Redmond, where Microsoft is headquartered. It's unclear how the news might affect the company. A spokesperson said Microsoft was keeping its eye on the situation.
"The health and safety of our employees is our top priority at Microsoft," the spokesperson said in a statement. "We are providing real-time guidance to employees in all affected regions. We will continue to monitor the situation and take action as necessary to help protect employees."
So far, the coronavirus has impacted tech companies in various ways. Major tech shows such as Mobile World Congress, the Geneva Motor Show and Facebook's F8 have been canceled, travel plans have been disrupted, component supplies have been threatened, and both Microsoft and Apple have issued financial warnings related to the outbreak.
On Friday, Google said an employee in its Zurich office had been diagnosed with coronavirus, though the office itself remains open. Apple has temporarily closed its corporate offices and contact centers in China.
During Saturday's press briefing, the Washington state health officials emphasized that 80% of coronavirus cases are mild and that people most at risk are individuals at least 60 years old who have underlying health conditions. But because some cases can be severe, the officials encouraged people to, among other things, wash their hands frequently; avoid touching their eyes, ears, nose and face; stay home from work or school if sick; and cut down on social contact.
They also said businesses should start thinking about how their employees can have less contact with one another, in case it becomes necessary, and they mentioned options such as telecommuting and videoconferencing.
Originally published Feb. 29, 11:04 a.m. PT, and updated with details as information has emerged.
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