How Whatcom County is preparing for potential coronavirus outbreak as of Tuesday
With coronavirus deaths in Washington state growing to 24 on Tuesday, March 10, here is a roundup of stories about the COVID-19 illness in Whatcom County from The Bellingham Herald.
Meridian schools close
March 10: Meridian School District announces closure after staff member exposed to coronavirus
The Meridian School District announced it will close schools Tuesday and Wednesday, March 10-11, after a middle school staff member was exposed to an individual outside Whatcom County that tested positive for new coronavirus.
Superintendent Dr. James Everett announced the closure in an online statement posted Monday evening.
Everett’s statement said the exposure occurred Feb. 29 and the staff member has cold symptoms, is staying home and has connected with their primary care provider. The staff member was at school all last week and on Monday and they have been in contact with students and other staff, Everett reported.
“Our concern is that we had a staff member at school for six days that had been in contact with someone that had been confirmed to have COVID-19,” Everett told The Bellingham Herald Tuesday. “There is potential they interacted with other staff and students. Our feeling is that we wanted to act in the best interest of our staff and students, so we made the decision we did.”
WCC, BTC changes
March 10: Whatcom Community College has canceled all in-person class meetings for March 11
Whatcom Community College has canceled all in-person class meetings for Wednesday, March 11, for “faculty preparation time,” though the campus will remain open, according to a post on the school’s new coronavirus update resource page.
Bellingham Technical College, meanwhile, posted that it will end its Winter Quarter six days early on Friday, March 20, according to a post on the school’s COVID-19 information page.
All WCC classes will still be held as scheduled Tuesday, March 10, and in-person classes will resume Thursday, March 12, the post read.
Businesses continue to clean
March 10: As coronavirus continues to spread across U.S., Whatcom businesses ponder next steps
Local businesses are stepping up deep cleaning efforts, but appear to be waiting for confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Whatcom County before taking further action.
As of Monday afternoon, March 9, Whatcom County has 17 people who have been tested for the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, but zero had been confirmed.
Even with no confirmed cases, businesses are letting customers know through social media and other means about what preventative measures they are taking. In a Facebook post, the Trampoline Zone noted a variety of changes, including increasing daytime cleaning of high-frequency touchpoints. Harbor Freight, which has tool stores across the U.S. including in Bellingham, sent out an email about increased sanitation efforts at its stores.
Stepping up sanitation efforts is the most common step Guy Occhiogrosso is hearing from Whatcom County businesses. Occhiogrosso, president and CEO of the Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce, said at this point he’s hearing discussions about further steps such as adjusting staff levels and store hours, but many are waiting to see if Whatcom County has confirmed cases of the coronavirus.
Special Olympics on hold
March 10: Special Olympics Washington cancels all training and events amid COVID-19 outbreak
The Special Olympics in Washington state has suspended all activities until March 31 to protect its athletes and to help slow the spread of COVID-19, the organization announced on Tuesday, March 10.
The organization has stopped all training and practices, competition, league play and district events, as well as any other events that involve its athletes.
“No one who lives in a county where there are known cases should travel to another county or hold any Special Olympics activities,” the organization stated.
No confirmed cases
March 9: Whatcom County health reports Monday that 17 residents are being tested for coronavirus
Whatcom County continues to have no confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of noon Monday, according to the Whatcom County Heath Department website.
The department reports there are 17 tests for novel coronavirus with results pending and five tests returned with negative results.
That’s up from the 16 people in Whatcom County who were being tested as of Sunday, March 8.
The number of people being tested as of Saturday, March 7, was 12.
Those being tested have symptoms and are in isolation pending their test results.
School cleaning
March 9: First Whatcom County school announces closure to prepare for coronavirus spread
In response to the spread of new coronavirus across Washington state, Lummi Nation School announced Sunday it will be closed Tuesday, March 10, to allow staff members a chance to receive training and for the sanitation of the school.
“While there is no current cause for concern, staff members will spend the day training as well as sanitizing equipment and furniture ensuring a safe and healthy environment for our students, their families and our staff,” the school said in an online statement about the closure.
The statement said that the Lummi Indian Business Council will provide paid leave for its employees who are forced to stay home with students during the precautionary measure.
Sunday tests update
March 8: Whatcom County health reports Sunday 16 residents are being tested for coronavirus
Whatcom County continues to have no cases of COVID-19 as of noon Sunday, March 8, according to the Whatcom County Heath Department website.
The department reports there are 16 tests for novel coronavirus with results pending and three tests returned with negative results.
Twelve people in Whatcom County were being tested as of Saturday, March 7, up from 10 on Friday, March 6.
More than 107,000 cases of the COVID-19 virus have been confirmed worldwide, with more than 3,600 deaths as of March 8, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States has more than 435 confirmed cases with 19 deaths — 18 in Washington state.
12 tests out in Whatcom
March 7: As of Saturday, 12 Whatcom County residents are being tested for coronavirus
Whatcom County continues to have no cases of COVID-19 as of noon Saturday, March 7.
The Whatcom County Heath Department website shows there are 12 tests for novel coronavirus with results pending and three tests returned with negative results. One person remains under public health supervision.
Ten people from Whatcom County were being tested as of Friday.
Canadian border stops
March 7: Coronavirus risk prompts CBP, CDC to deny travelers at border in Whatcom County
U.S. Customs and Protection reported travelers have been denied entry into the United States from Canada at points of entry into Whatcom County due to concerns of the spread of new coronavirus.
The number of travelers who have been stopped attempting to enter the U.S. into Whatcom County was not included in a statement emailed to The Bellingham Herald from CBP spokesperson Jason Givens, who added that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is responsible for all enhanced health screening of travelers at points of entry into the U.S.
Canada, meanwhile does not have a travel ban in place relating to the COVID-19 outbreak, Canada Border Services Agency spokesperson Rebecca Purdy told The Herald in an email.
But, like their U.S. counterparts, Purdy wrote that the Canadian border agency is working with national health officials to help reduce the threat at all its border crossings, including those from Whatcom County.
Senior care safety
March 7: Whatcom senior groups detail what they’re doing to prevent coronavirus transmission
At Highgate Senior Living in Bellingham, all visitors are asked if they’re ill with a cough or fever. Have they traveled to one of the countries that’s been a hot bed of the new coronavirus within the past couple of weeks?
A “yes” to either question means they’re turned away as Highgate and others who care for the elderly or oversee places where they gather implement screening and cleaning procedures recommended by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Washington State Department of Health.
More Whatcom tests
March 6: Four more Whatcom County residents are being tested for coronavirus
Four more people in Whatcom County are being tested for the new coronavirus, according to updated information on the Whatcom County Health Department website.
That brings to 10 the number of people tested in recent days to find out if they’re sick with the respiratory illness, according to updated information released by the county health department on Friday, March 6. That’s up from six on Thursday.
As of Friday morning, no one has tested positive for COVID-19 in Whatcom County.
In Whatcom County, results for all 10 tests are pending.
Samples were sent to the Washington State Public Health Laboratory in Shoreline for testing.
The test numbers posted by the Whatcom County Health Department focus only on samples sent to the public health lab in Shoreline.
As of Friday morning, there also was one person under public health supervision.
People under public health supervision don’t have symptoms but are monitoring their health because they were in close contact with someone known to have COVID-19 or because they traveled from affected geographic areas, or hot spots.
St. Joseph limits visitors
March 6: Bellingham hospital asks patient visitors be limited to 1-2 ‘essential support’
Due to the recent spread of new coronavirus in the region, Bellingham’s St. Joseph hospital Friday said it is requesting patients’ visitors be limited to those who are “essential.”
“We are requesting visitors be limited to no more than one to two people — those that are determined essential support,” hospital spokesperson Bev Mayhew told The Bellingham Herald Friday, March 6.
The hospital also is asking anyone who is not feeling well and is not seeking medical attention to refrain from going to the hospital, Mayhew said.
The reason for the limitation, Mayhew said, is to limit the comings and goings of people, reducing the number of people that could potentially be exposed, while also limiting the chances that someone brings COVID-19 into the hospital.
When to be tested
March 6: Wondering if you should be tested for COVID-19? Here’s what you need to know, for now
Should you get tested for the new coronavirus?
This is what you should know, according to the Whatcom County Health Department:
▪ You can’t get the test yourself. That decision is made by health care providers and public health officials.
▪ If your respiratory symptoms are mild, you don’t need to be tested.
Public health officials and health care providers said you should be tested if:
▪ You have a lower respiratory tract infection that makes it hard to breathe, causes chest tightness, or makes you wheeze when exhaling. Ditto for a severe cough that may produce mucus, also known as phlegm.
▪ You’ve had close contact — been within 6 feet — of someone who tested positive for the illness.
▪ You’ve recently traveled to the affected geographic regions of China, Iran, South Korea, Italy, Japan and Hong Kong.
No cases in Whatcom
March 5: Three more Whatcom County residents are being tested for coronavirus
Three more people in Whatcom County are being tested for the new coronavirus, according to updated information on the Whatcom County Health Department website.
That doubles to six the number of people tested in recent days to find out if they’re sick with the respiratory illness.
As of Thursday, March 5, no one has tested positive for COVID-19 in Whatcom County.
But in Washington state, the number of people diagnosed with the illness jumped to 70 on Thursday amid a widening outbreak — with the first confirmed case in Grant County in Eastern Washington, according to the Washington State Department of Health.
In Whatcom County, results for all six tests are pending.
Protecting EMS service
March 5: Whatcom EMS makes protocol changes in response to Coronavirus, ‘to protect everybody’
If you call 911 for medical help in Whatcom County, and medics show up wearing masks, gowns and gloves, it’s no reason to panic.
“We don’t mean any offense,” Whatcom County Emergency Medical Services Manager Mike Hilley told The Bellingham Herald Wednesday. “This is just about trying to protect everybody. I can see where it would be pretty concerning to have people show up at your door looking like they are ready for a hazmat response wearing masks, gowns and gloves, but we don’t want to scare anybody.”
Hilley said Whatcom EMS and the Prospect 911 Fire Dispatch Center have worked closely with the Whatcom County Department of Health and made some small protocol changes in response to the recent spread of the novel coronavirus in Western Washington. Further protocol changes and plans have been discussed, should the need arise, Hilley said.
Call volume for the fire dispatch center has increased slightly since news of the first United States death linked to COVID-19 circulated last weekend, Hilley said, “but I wouldn’t say it’s gone up significantly.”
Bellingham ER
March 5: What will a visit to the Bellingham ER be like with concerns over coronavirus spread?
Emergency Department visits at St. Joseph hospital in Bellingham have remained steady, despite concerns over the spread of novel coronavirus in Western Washington.
“We’re not really noticing an increase in the ER,” hospital spokesperson Bev Mayhew told The Bellingham Herald Wednesday, March 4. “It’s been steady for this time of the season and pretty normal with flu and other illnesses in the air.”
The hospital continues to encourage people who have fever and flu-like symptoms and believe they may have been in contact with somebody with COVID-19 to call their medical provider first, before going to the hospital or a clinic, Mayhew said.
Homeless shelter prepares
March 5: Amid widening coronavirus outbreak, here’s how Whatcom homeless advocates are preparing
“We’re taking it real seriously, of course,” said Erchinger-Davis of the threat of coronavirus, adding that Lighthouse Mission was working closely with the Whatcom County Health Department.
Even before the coronavirus, Lighthouse Mission was already “highly sensitized to concerns around viruses and disease,” Erchinger-Davis said.
Because of the coronavirus, “we’re extra on-point,” he said.
Its Drop-In Center provides emergency shelter to the homeless each night. On Tuesday night, March 3, it had 146 people sleeping on mats there.
Workers are being encouraged to wash their hands often and avoid touching their faces. If they’re feeling sick, they’re being told to stay home. Instead of shaking hands, they’re doing elbow bumps or fist bumps, according to Erchinger-Davis.
Buses cleaned
March 5: Here’s what the Whatcom bus agency is doing to keep riders safer from COVID-19
Whatcom Transportation Authority officials are reassuring riders that it’s paying closer attention to cleaning its buses in the wake of the new coronavirus outbreak.
“We’re taking our cues regarding COVID-19 from the (Whatcom County Health Department),” the agency tweeted Wednesday, March 5. “We’re also taking extra measures each night to disinfect and sanitize our buses, paying special attention to all the surfaces people touch with their hands.”
“The employees tasked with washing bus exteriors and cleaning interiors every night are focusing less attention on bus exteriors in order to give each bus interior a thorough treatment with this product every night,” said Maureen McCarthy, WTA spokeswoman. “They’re focusing on all surfaces riders touch throughout the day. We’re also using a disinfectant on the bus floors.”
More Whatcom tests
March 4: Two more Whatcom County residents are being tested for coronavirus
The number of people being tested for the new coronavirus in Whatcom County is now at three, according to numbers posted on the Whatcom County Health Department website.
On Tuesday, March 3, public health officials told The Bellingham Herald about one person possibly ill with coronavirus being tested. A sample was sent to the Washington State Public Health Laboratory in Shoreline to be tested, and that result is pending.
Now, there are two more people who are ill and being tested for what also is called COVID-19.
The Whatcom County residents are being tested under the current, expanded guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to include those who have symptoms but haven’t recently come into contact with someone known to be ill with COVID-19 or traveled to countries affected by the outbreak.
Airport steps up prevention
March 4: As coronavirus cases continue to rise, Bellingham airport steps up prevention effort
After cases were first reported in British Columbia and Seattle, Bellingham International Airport increased the number of times it cleans common areas like water fountains and fill stations, said Sunil Harman, director of aviation for the Port of Bellingham.
The airport has also added more hand sanitizer stations and increased inspections, he said in an email.
Even before the coronavirus outbreak, also known as COVID-19, the Bellingham airport maintained a Service A rating based on the Airport Service Quality standard, according to Harman. That included cleaning restrooms and frequently touched areas three times a day with commercial disinfectants.
Port and contracted janitorial staff are also monitoring guidance from local, state and federal agencies and are prepared to implement additional steps to deal with the coronavirus as required, Harman said.
Slow test anger senator
March 4: Washington’s U.S. Sen. Murray angered by lack of coronavirus testing, slow results
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray criticized the Trump administration for its slow response to the new coronavirus outbreak at a health committee hearing Tuesday, March 3, in Washington, D.C.
“I’m hearing from people who want to get tested and believe they have been exposed — but nobody can tell them where to go,” Murray told the committee. “I’m hearing that even when people can get tested — and it’s very few — the results aren’t coming back as fast as we’ve been told they would.”
Murray said low-wage workers are in a particular bind during a public-health crisis because they lack health insurance, affordable child care, and paid time off for illness.
Jail plan for illness
March 4: To prepare for new coronavirus, Whatcom County Jail draws on plans for other diseases
Wendy Jones, corrections chief with the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, said jail officials will draw on their experiences planning for contagious diseases, specifically tuberculosis.
Jones, who oversees the jail, explained to The Bellingham Herald how a possible coronavirus case at the 311 Grand Ave. jail in Bellingham would be handled.
To date, no jail inmate or staff has been tested for the coronavirus, according to Jones.
The jail is currently housing around 150 inmates because of ongoing construction projects.
“Essentially, we would treat this the same as if we had an active case of tuberculosis in the jail,” Jones said.
If tests confirm coronavirus, inmates could then be put into a two-room unit that vents directly to the outside air.
“Medical would treat them symptomatically. They’re sick, whether they have influenza, pneumonia or whatever, they’d be getting support and treatment. So we’d treat them symptomatically and then wait to get results and go from there,” Jones said.
Whatcom resident tested
March 3: Second Whatcom County resident is being tested for new coronavirus
A second Whatcom County resident is being tested for the new coronavirus.
A sample was sent Tuesday, March 3, to the Washington State Department of Health lab in Shoreline, according to Melissa Morin, spokeswoman for the Whatcom County Public Health Department.
No additional details were available about the person being tested.
One other person has been tested in Whatcom County. That was in January and that test was negative.
Symptoms of the illness, also called COVID-19, include fever, cough and shortness of breath.
COVID-19 testing
March 3: Should you be tested for COVID-19? Here’s what’s happening in Washington state
So, how do you know if you or your sick loved one with a cough, shortness of breath and fever actually is infected with the coronavirus or is just suffering from another cold or flu?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says your first step is to call your healthcare professional if you develop symptoms and have been in contact with a person known to have COVID-19 or traveled to an area where coronavirus is widespread.
Your healthcare provider then will work with the Washington State Department of Health and CDC to determine if you need to be tested for COVID-19, according to the CDC website.
Testing in our state is done at the Washington State Public Health Laboratories in Shoreline, according to the Department of Health, and includes submitting samples collected from the back of the nose, throat or respiratory tract. The turnaround time is three to five days once samples are received at the laboratory, but final results might be delayed if further testing is required.
While awaiting testing results, the Department of Health advises clinicians to continue investigating other potential causes for the symptoms.
Schools, colleges plan
March 3: As coronavirus concerns grow, here’s what Whatcom schools, colleges plan
Schools should stay open and large public events should continue for now, the Whatcom County Health Department said amid growing concerns about the spread of the new coronavirus in Washington state.
As of Tuesday morning, March 3, there have been no confirmed cases in Whatcom County of the illness also known as COVID-19.
In Washington state, there were 27 confirmed cases and nine deaths — all of them in King and Snohomish counties.
“We understand that people are concerned about the spread of COVID-19 in our region, and it’s likely that we will see more cases of COVID-19 in the days and weeks to come,” said Dr. Greg Stern, Whatcom County Health Officer, in a statement.
But the department said it isn’t recommending what it calls “other community-based strategies for infection control, such as school closures or canceling large public gatherings or events.”
The health department is the lead agency in monitoring and responding to the respiratory illness in Whatcom County.
No schools in Whatcom County, including colleges and universities, have announced that they’re going to close.
Call your doctor first
March 2: If you’re sick and wondering if it’s coronavirus, here’s what to do in Whatcom County
You’ve got a cough, fever and feel sick. Is it the new coronavirus? What should you do?
Public health officials in Whatcom County and Washington state are asking people who have symptoms to stay away from public spaces — to avoid infecting others — as they grapple with a quickly evolving situation amid concerns that what’s now also being called the COVID-19 virus has been circulating in Washington state for weeks without being detected.
The number of confirmed cases in the state has climbed to 18 within a few days, with most of them in King County, as of Monday morning, March 2, and six people have died, according to monitoring data from the Washington State Department of Health.
Symptoms, which include fever, cough and shortness of breath, may appear two to 14 days after exposure.
No Whatcom County resident has tested positive for the virus, but public health officials have been telling people to be ready for that to change.
Bev Mayhew, spokeswoman for PeaceHealth St. Joseph in Whatcom County, also said patients should call the doctor or clinic first, provided you meet two criteria:
▪ You have recently traveled outside the U.S. or have been in contact with a person known to have COVID-19;
▪ You have symptoms including fever or upper respiratory infection symptoms, such as a cough.
Hand sanitizer shopped out
March 2: After a busy shopping weekend, masks and other products in short supply in Bellingham
After a busy weekend of shoppers stocking up on hand sanitizer and masks, several Whatcom County stores were in short supply or sold out of both.
Visits to several Bellingham stores and pharmacies found they were out of stock of those products as well as digital thermometers on Monday morning, March 2. This came about as residents spent the past week preparing for the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.
Stores including the Bakerview Fred Meyer did have some of the disinfecting wipes and Lysol spray, as well as some of the alcohol wipe products and cold prevention products. It looked like a typical busy day at the Bellingham Costco after it opened on Monday morning, although there were a few customers who chose to wear masks.
Doctors and health officials are saying frequent hand-washing and avoiding touching your face are the most effective ways to protect yourself from the coronavirus. They are also urging people not to buy masks unless they are already sick or a health-care worker.
Prevent coronavirus spread
Feb. 27: As coronavirus outbreak widens, Whatcom public health says to prepare for its spread
Whatcom County officials are telling residents to prepare now.
What should we expect?
Depending on the severity of the outbreak, public health officials could recommend what are known as “social distancing” measures, restricting when and where people gather to decrease illness and slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Possibilities could include:
▪ Temporarily closing schools and childcare facilities.
▪ Closing non-essential workplaces, or asking people to work from home.
▪ Limiting or closing places where the community gathers.
▪ Canceling public events.
What should I do now?
If the coronavirus becomes a pandemic, it could last for months and social distancing would disrupt daily lives, according to the Whatcom County Health Department.
This is what residents should do now.
▪ Figure out how to care for your kids if schools or child care facilities are closed.
▪ Talk to your employer about sick leave policies and being able to work remotely.
▪ Talk to your neighbors about how you can help each other, either by taking turns with child care or dropping off groceries on doorsteps. Plan for ways to help people who are at greater risk for illness, such as people over 65 and those with chronic health conditions.
What can I do to protect myself and my family?
Take the same steps that you would to keep yourself from getting a cold or the flu.
▪ Wash your hands with soap and warm water and do so frequently.
▪ Don’t touch your eyes and mouth, because the virus can enter your body that way.
▪ Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue. Throw the tissue in the trash. Then wash your hands.
▪ If you’re sick, stay home to prevent infecting other people. If you’re not ill, stay away from people who are.
Where can I get more information?
▪whatcomcounty.us/360/Health-Department
▪doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/Coronavirus
▪ cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
▪ Johns Hopkins University global map of coronavirus cases at https://bit.ly/37CgQfT
Wash your hands
Feb. 27: Hand washing can help prevent coronavirus, but you’re probably not doing it right
The Centers for Disease Control website offers these five steps to washing your hands correctly:
▪ “Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
▪ “Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers and under your nails.
▪ “Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
▪ “Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
▪ “Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.”
And if you don’t have water? Rub hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol on your hands and fingers until it’s dry, the CDC writes. That also takes about 20 seconds.
Washington testing site
Feb. 27: State public health officials will be able to get test results for coronavirus faster
Washington state residents who may be ill with the novel coronavirus will get their test results back much faster starting Friday, Feb. 28.
That’s when the Washington State Department of Health will start testing samples from possibly ill people in Shoreline instead of sending them to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, which takes seven days to return results.
Samples sent to the state public health laboratory by mid-morning could have results by 5 p.m. the same day. They will be accepted from around the state.
What is coronavirus?
Jan. 30: This is what you need to know about the new coronavirus and Whatcom’s response
The Whatcom County Health Department is part of a national and statewide network of public health officials that are monitoring the illness, which had not been seen in human beings before the outbreak’s start in December.
The first U.S. case of what also has been called novel coronavirus was confirmed in a Snohomish County man earlier this month.
The new type of coronavirus causes respiratory illness. The effect has ranged from a mild illness, similar to a cold, to pneumonia requiring hospitalization.
In discussing possible coronavirus cases, public health officials refer to a “person under investigation.” What does that mean?
That’s someone who might be sick with novel coronavirus, according to Morin.
Specifically, the person meets one of three definitions, based on current CDC guidelines, Morin added.
▪ The person has symptoms associated with what’s also referred to as 2019 nCoV — fever, cough or difficulty breathing — and had traveled to Wuhan in the 14 days before symptoms started.
▪ The person has symptoms after coming into close contact with someone else who may have had the illness.
▪ The person has symptoms and close contact with a person who has tested positive for novel coronavirus.
“Health care providers are using CDC guidelines to determine whether or not a patient should be evaluated as (a) person under investigation,” Morin said.
First test in Whatcom
Jan. 29: Whatcom County tests its first patient for the coronavirus
One person in Whatcom County has been tested for the new coronavirus as part of ongoing efforts to track an outbreak that has spread from its initial discovery in Wuhan in China’s Hubei Province.
That test came back negative, according to Melissa Morin, representative for the Whatcom County Health Department.
The new type of coronavirus causes respiratory illness and possibly pneumonia. Symptoms of the illness include fever, cough and shortness of breath.
Public health official say the risk to the general public is low.
Western Washington University sent an email to students and employees about the virus earlier this week, saying there were no cases at Western and adding that its Student Health Center was in communication with the Whatcom County Health Department.
Amid reports that airlines were stopping travel to China and Americans were being evacuated from Wuhan, WWU spokesman Paul Cocke told The Bellingham Herald that a Western student also was leaving China because her program has been suspended.
This story will be updated.
This story was originally published February 29, 2020 at 12:50 PM.
