Hospital ready should Coronavirus hit area

RITZVILLE - As COVID-19 - popularly known as the coronavirus - continues to spread across the country, including Washington state, officials here are continuing to prepare for a local outbreak.

Should an outbreak occur, East Adams Rural Healthcare CEO Corey Fedie says the critical access hospital stands ready.

"[The hospital] has the ability to take care of these patients in special isolation rooms with Negative Pressure Ventilation," Fedie said. "This type of room is effective for many highly contagious situations ... We are able to take excellent care of our patients in most of these types of situations. If the volume of patients, complexity or severity of the patient gets too high we would then transfer to a higher level of care."

Fedie says there is one center capable of such care nearby.

"Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane has one of the few high-level isolation centers in the country, in close proximity to East Adams Rural Healthcare, and would be a viable source should our communities need it," Fedie said.

Sacred Heart is already housing four patients who tested positive.

As of Monday, the coronavirus death rate in Washington was at 19. The confirmed cases, reported by the state Department of Health, was 136. All but one of the confirmed cases were on the west side of the state.

While there are no confirmed cases in Adams County, The Journal reported last week there was a possible case of infection in neighboring Grant County. This case was later confirmed and the patient, who was in their 80s, died Sunday.

Health officials are urging people who think they may be ill with the virus to call their doctor or health care provider before going to a hospital, clinic or doctor's office in person.

Officials also say to practice good hygiene practices such as proper hand washing and covering coughs with a tissue.