Washington Governor Jay Inslee has imposed a ban on gatherings and events of more than 250 people in three Western Washington counties in an effort to curb the spread of the new coronavirus.
Jay Inslee
Inslee’s proclamation applies to King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties, which include the cities of Seattle, Tacoma, and Everett, but the order does not include schools or workplaces.
Washington has at least 24 COVID-19 deaths and more than 260 confirmed cases. Nineteen of the deaths are linked to one suburban Seattle nursing home and authorities in King County said the virus has spread to at least 10 long-term care facilities.
The governor’s order would cover sporting events like Seattle Mariners baseball and Seattle Sounders soccer games. That decision could impact the Mariners first seven games of the season against the Texas Rangers and Minnesota Twins, plus home games for the MLS Sounders, XFL Seattle Dragons, and a pair of junior hockey teams in the area.
Major League Baseball reportedly prefers to move the Mariner home games to the visiting teams’ stadiums rather than playing before empty venues.
The restrictions don’t include Spokane where NCAA Basketball Tournament games are scheduled to take place next week. (AP)
