Coronavirus updates: Kitsap County eligible to apply for Phase 3 this week – KING5.com

Find developments on Washington's coronavirus outbreak and the state's plan for recovery.

Monday, June 15:

Kitsap Public Health likely to consider Phase 3 application

Kitsap County health officials will consider whether or not to apply for Phase 3 of Gov. Jay Inslee's recovery plan this week.

Kitsap County becomes eligible to apply for Phase 3 beginning June 18.

The Kitsap Public Health Board will consider a Phase 3 application during a special meeting June 19, followed by a Kitsap County Board of Commissioners' meeting.

Under Phase 3 of the recovery plan, non-essential travel can fully resume, gatherings of up to 50 people will be allowed, and businesses can increase capacity or reopen if they haven't already.

The following counties are currently in Phase 3:

There are no counties in Phase 4.

Food banks preparing for significant gap in volunteers

Food banks in King County may see a significant gap in its volunteer force when more than 100 National Guard members end their assignments on June 24.

Around 330 National Guard members were deployed to help at food banks in the county during the pandemic. Of those, the assignments for 116 of those members are coming to an end.

Because other volunteers - especially those most vulnerable to COVID-19 - have followed Gov. Jay Inslee's stay-home order and are expected to continue to do so, food banks are now scrambling to find new volunteers.

Were working with the state to put volunteers into food banks so the Guard can be released, said Jennifer Rosenberger, senior manager with King County Emergency Management. We really need to try to get help. Were hoping for high school students who need community service hours, or teachers, or others who arent working right now.

As unemployment hovers around 15% in the county, approximately 10,000 more households received food assistance benefits in April than January.

More information can be found here.

Lyme disease symptoms can be mistaken for COVID-19

With more people outside enjoying nature and possibly exposing themselves to ticks, health experts are warning of possible overlap between the symptoms of COVID-19 and Lyme Disease.

But can you get diagnosed with COVID-19 instead of Lyme disease and vice versa?

Experts say, yes, you could, as both have similar symptoms. Evidence and experts suggest patients should get tested for other conditions when presenting any of the symptoms. The experts that the VERIFY team contacted said getting the correct diagnosis in a timely manner is important as Lyme Disease can have serious effects if it's not caught early on.

A spokesperson with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explained to the VERIFY team that Lyme disease shares some general flu-like symptoms with COVID-19 including "fever, chills, fatigue, body aches and headaches"

But," they added, "there are key symptoms of Lyme disease that help distinguish it from other illnesses, most commonly the erythema migrans rash (commonly known as a bulls-eye rash) which occurs in approximately 70 to 80 percent of people with Lyme disease.

The CDC representative explained that other Lyme Disease symptoms include facial palsy, arthritis in large joints and irregular heartbeat. Tick-born diseases are not likely to cause the type of respiratory symptoms associated with COVID-19, such as cough, congestion, shortness of breath, or loss of taste or smell, they wrote.

According to Dr. John Aucott, Director of the John Hopkins Lyme Disease Clinical Research Center, the overlap of Lyme Disease season with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic could lead people to self-diagnose incorrectly. Were currently on tick season," he said, "which means that Lyme being also a seasonal disease is currently overlapping COVID-19. Testing is fundamental, especially when Lyme usually tests positive later than the incubation period for COVID-19.

While some COVID-19 cases can be mild, it's important to get checked out if you think there's a chance it could be Lyme Disease instead.

Southcenter Mall in Tukwila opens Monday

Westfield Southcenter Mall in Tukwila will reopen with modified hours on Monday, June 15.

The mall will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Shoppers must wear masks and the mall will follow social distancing protocols.

Report: COVID-19 cases on the rise in Washington state

The Washington Department of Health said coronavirus infections are on the increase on both sides of the Cascades.

The situation report says state epidemiologists have seen a particularly large increases in Benton, Yakima, Spokane and Franklin counties, but said the latest data through the end of May indicates likely increases in infections across the state.

The results, the report says, includes increases in coronavirus transmission over Memorial Day weekend, but not infections that may have occurred during recent protests that have drawn tens of thousands of people together in cities and towns across the state.

Over 100 COVID-19 cases reported at Washington state prison

The Washington State Department of Corrections said a prison is restricting movement at its medium-security unit after more than 100 officers and inmates tested positive for COVID-19.

Coyote Ridge Corrections Center has confirmed more than half of its inmates at the facility are in quarantine because of potential exposure. Department officials say the announcement came after 30 corrections officers and 71 inmates tested positive. Another 33 people exhibited potential symptoms.

The Connell-based prison has minimum and medium-security units but only the medium-security unit is on restricted movement.

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Coronavirus updates: Kitsap County eligible to apply for Phase 3 this week - KING5.com