The Kirkland City Council will be hosting a special meeting on Tuesday, March 31 at 5:30 p.m. using video conferencing technology provided by Zoom to take emergency action in response to COVID-19.

The agenda for the March 31 meeting will be available on the City website prior to the meeting at: https://www.kirklandwa.gov/depart/council/Meetings/Agendas.htm.

Topics on the agenda will cover areas such as a potential moratorium on commercial evictions, allowing the temporary deferment and suspension of the collection by the City of all utility charges and taxes imposed within Titles Five and Seven of the Kirkland Municipal Code as well as the waiving of any related late fees, penalties or interest that would otherwise accrue as a result of such late payments, supplemental resources for those experiencing homelessness, and human services funding stabilization.

The meeting can be viewed in real time via the livestream on the City website at: http://www.kirklandwa.gov/depart/council/Meetings/WatchCouncilMeetings.htm, and is televised on Comcast Cable Channel 21 and Frontier Cable Channel 31. The live feed will toggle back and forth between staff presentations and the Council’s Zoom video conference.

The City will continue to update its website with information on the COVID-19 outbreak.

Thanks to the many Kirkland businesses who are taking the Stay Home – Stay Healthy order to heart.

Governor Inslee announced today a new website to report suspected violations of the governor’s orders regarding essential business functions and social distancing.

For more information, visit the Violations of the Governor's Proclamation webpage. 

Essential businesses are determined by the state and defined as “needed to maintain continuity of operations of essential critical infrastructure sectors.” Additional sectors may be designated by the State Public Health Officer as critical to protect the health and well-being of Washingtonians.

For questions about whether an individual business should remain open or should be closed, the Governor has published a list of designated “Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers.”

Go to the Washington State Coronavirus Response (COVID-19) webpage for the list of essential businesses as well as an online form to clarify status or to petition to be added to the list.

During this time of COVID-19, information and conditions seem to change daily.  To help our community navigate these uncertain times, the City of Kirkland has developed a few webpages to compile needed information for businesses impacted by COVID-19, residents who need support, ways for community members to help their neighbors, and the latest update from the City in response to COVID-19. Check back often, as the situation is changing daily and new updates are posted often.

• Resources for Kirkland Businesses Impacted by COVID-19
• Resources for Kirkland Residents Impacted by COVID-19
• Ways to Help During COVID-19
• COVID-19 (coronavirus) General Information

King County hospitals are seeing significant pressures as the number of COVID-19 cases increase. Public Health estimates 82 new cases of COVID-19 as of Sunday, March 29, bringing the estimated case count in King County to 2159. In addition, five new deaths were reported, bringing the estimated total of deaths in King County to 141.

The Northwest Healthcare Response Network (NWHRN) tracks information on hospital capacity in our region. The NWHRN is reporting that hospitals in King County are maintaining available hospital capacity but also seeing significant impacts on hospital operations as the number of COVID-19 cases increases. Hospitals have taken multiple steps to meet the demand related to care of COVID-19 cases and are trying to adapt operations in the face of reduced PPE resources and other challenges to their operations.

The unprecedented steps our hospitals have taken are helping ensure hospital and ICU bed and ventilator capacity remain available in the region at this time. Hospitals have responded to the increase in patients with COVID-19 and COVID-like illnesses by using surge strategies, such as postponing elective and non-emergency procedures, bringing in additional staff, and increasing the number of hospital beds. Other innovative changes to managing healthcare needs while decreasing opportunities for transmission of COVID-19 include drive-through clinics and telehealth.

Hospitals are continuing to find ways to maximally conserve limited supplies of PPE, to protect and care for front line health care teams, to use space efficiently, and to support each other by sharing resources across the region. Their close collaboration with each other, the Northwest Healthcare Response Network, as well as Public Health and the state, has made it possible to meet the need today while preparing for a potential much greater challenge in coming weeks or months.

Given this strain on the healthcare system, Public Health reminds everyone to stay home to slow the spread of COVID-19 and to preserve the emergency room for critical health needs. Do not go to the emergency room unless you are having an immediate medical emergency. People who receive a positive test result for COVID-19 should not go the emergency room unless they are experiencing severe symptoms (such as difficulty breathing) that require hospitalization. Less severe symptoms can be treated at home.

Case updates

Cases reported Sunday, March 29 are an approximation. Case numbers draw from a Washington State Department of Health database that is in the process of being updated. We expect to have an official count Monday, March 30.

Public Health—Seattle & King County is reporting the following estimated cases and deaths due to COVID-19 through 11:59 p.m. on March 28, 2020.

• 2,159 estimated positive cases (up 82 from last report)
• 141 estimated deaths (up 5 from last report)

Important note: With the launch of a new data dashboard (www.kingcounty.gov/covid/data), Public Health will no longer be listing individual deaths by age and gender in our News Release. Detailed information about demographics of those who died from COVID-19 is available on the dashboard. Be sure to click the button to filter by "positive results only" to see age and gender of deaths. A PDF is also available.

Isolation and quarantine facilities update

Isolation and quarantine is a proven public health practice for reducing the spread of disease. Examples of people who may need this assistance include people who cannot safely isolate from a family member who is elderly or medically fragile, or people experiencing homelessness. Individuals can only be placed into the King County sites after a health professional with Public Health—Seattle & King County has determined that they need isolation or quarantine.

Thirteen people are currently staying in King County isolation and quarantine facilities.

The number of people at King County's isolation and quarantine sites will be included in regular updates provided by Public Health. No other identifying or personal information will be provided. For more information, visit the Public Health - Seattle & King County webpage or the Public Health Insider blog.