OLYMPIA — Gov. Jay Inslee Friday morning announced he was recommending a 14-day self-quarantine for people entering and leaving the state as COVID-19 cases increase.
In making his announcement, Inslee joined California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown in another effort to slow the spread of the virus.
“COVID-19 cases have doubled in Washington over the past two weeks,” Inslee said in a statement. “This puts our state in as dangerous a position today as we were in March.”
“Limiting and reducing travel is one way to reduce further spread of the disease. I am happy to partner with California and Oregon in this effort to help protect lives up and down the West Coast,” he added.
The advisories urge people to avoid non-essential out-of-state travel, ask people to self-quarantine for 14 days after arriving from another state or country on non-essential travel, and encourage residents to stay local, a statement said.
Essential travel is what is needed for work or study, or to support critical infrastructure, supply chains and economic services, safety and security, immediate medical care and health, according to the advisory.
The announcement comes after Inslee on Thursday urged Washingtonians to avoid social gatherings for Thanksgiving, football games and the holidays as the number of cases in Washington increase. The governor said he would be announcing other measures in the coming days to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Washington health officials Thursday reported that over the past two days, 3,345 coronavirus cases and 25 deaths have been confirmed in the state.
That brings the total number of diagnoses in Washington to 123,356, including 2,507 deaths, according to the state Department of Health. At least 9,178 people have been hospitalized here due to the virus.
Meanwhile, Brown said in a social media video Thursday, “If we do not act immediately we will soon reach a breaking point.”
Newsom, in a statement said, “California just surpassed a sobering threshold — one million COVID-19 cases — with no signs of the virus slowing down.”
“Increased cases are adding pressure on our hospital systems and threatening the lives of seniors, essential workers and vulnerable Californians,” he added.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.