OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has scheduled a news conference for Sunday morning as COVID-19 case numbers soar throughout the Pacific Northwest where he will reportedly detail new restrictions.
Inslee’s office said he would discuss actions to combat the crisis but offered no details. The Seattle Times reports that among Inslee’s announcements will be a ban on indoor service at restaurants and bars and significantly reduced capacity at grocery stores and retail shops.
The newspaper cited industry officials briefed by Inslee’s staff. The Democratic governor will also prohibit all indoor social gatherings. And Inslee will reportedly limit grocery stores and retailers to 25% occupancy.
The state was under a stay-at-home order from March 23 until the end of May.
All of Washington’s 39 counties are paused in either the second or third phase of a four-stage reopening plan that began in early May to start lifting restrictions on businesses and other activities.
For the second day in a row Saturday, Washington state health officials reported a record number of daily cases, with 2,233 new cases as of 11:59 p.m. Friday. That brought the state’s totals to 127,731 cases and 2,519 deaths.
In Oregon, officials on Saturday reported a third straight day with more than 1,000 new COVID infections. That brought Oregon’s total to 56,018 cases. The Oregon Health Authority also reported six more deaths, pushing the state’s death toll to 759.
Idaho also has been setting records for new cases and hospitalizations, adding 1,331 new cases Friday.
On Friday, the governors of California, Oregon and Washington issued travel advisories urging people entering or returning to their states to self-quarantine to slow the spread of the coronavirus as infections spike across the U.S.
The advisories stopped short of stricter rules imposed by other governors and instead said people should avoid non-essential out-of-state travel and quarantine for 14 days after arriving from another state or country.
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