Lummi announces 2 more positive tests for coronavirus, as total for tribe rises to 10
The Lummi Public Health Department announced Thursday, March 26, that two additional Lummi community members have tested positive for COVID-19.
Both are tribal members who live in Whatcom County, according to a release posted on Facebook.
The new cases increased to 10 the total linked to Lummi Nation.
Lummi public health officials said they were working to identify all close contacts of the two newly diagnosed members and instruct them to self-quarantine. They also offered to test those who were exposed and experiencing symptoms.
On Sunday, the Lummi Indian Business Council ordered a shelter-in-place for all Lummi Nation community members living on the reservation in an effort to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
On Thursday, the Whatcom County Health Department reported that 86 Whatcom residents have been diagnosed with the respiratory illness. Four of them have died of complications of COVID-19.
It’s not known if the Lummi cases revealed Thursday are included in the most recent Whatcom County numbers.
More than 529,000 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed worldwide, with more than 23,900 deaths as of Thursday afternoon, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States has more than 83,500 confirmed cases, with at least 1,201 deaths.
Of the 3,207 confirmed cases in Washington state, there have been 147 deaths as of Thursday.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhat you should know about the coronavirus
COVID-19, the new coronavirus, is a disease caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2.
The disease is spread through contact between people within six feet of each other, especially through coughing and sneezing that expels respiratory droplets that land in the mouths or noses of people nearby.
Although most of the cases have been mild, the disease is especially dangerous for the elderly and others with weaker immune systems.
Click the drop-down icon in the upper right of this card for more information on symptoms and how to stop its spread.
What you can do
Here’s what you can do to protect yourself and others from COVID-19, according to the Whatcom County Health Department.
▪ Keep six feet between yourself and others when in public.
▪ Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
▪ Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth with hands that haven’t been washed.
▪ Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, throw the tissue in the trash and then wash your hands.
▪ Stay home if you feel sick. Avoid others who are sick.
▪ If your symptoms are severe and require medical care, call your doctor first.
This story was originally published March 26, 2020 at 6:47 PM.
