Key Facts:
- There are 351 coronavirus cases, and 20 deaths in Spokane County. Twelve people are currently hospitalized
- There are 65 cases in North Idaho, 61 in Kootenai County and four in Bonner County.
- TOTAL: 786 deaths and 13,842 overall cases in Washington.
- 182,515 people in Washington have taken a test for coronavirus and 7.6% of those cases have been positive.
- Fishing, golfing and some state land use can resume by May 5, Gov. Inslee announced Monday.
Wednesday, April 29:
2020 Rosauers Open canceled amid pandemic
The Greater Spokane Golf Board of Directors announced the cancellation of the 2020 Rosauers Open and the Franz Bakery Pro-Am due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The proceeds from the event, which is the largest PGA sectional in the country, go to the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery.
Kootenai River Inn Casino & Spa targets May 16 reopening
The Kootenai River Inn Casino and Spa announced on Wednesday that it was targeting May 16 as the date to reopen for business.
According to a release, additional sanitation and health protocols will be in place and the Fireside Casino and Deli will be made a non-smoking area, while smoking will still be allowed in the Kootenai Falls Casino.
"We hope to go back to something more normal as soon as possible and want our guests and team members to know that our number one goal is their well-being," General Manager Tom Turpin said in the release.
Turpin added that the casino hopes to confirm its reopening closer to May 16.
Northern Quest to reopen on May 5
The Kalispel Tribe of Indians announced that a "majority" of its businesses, including Northern Quest Casino, will reopen on May 5.
According to a release, Northern Quest Resort and Casino, the Kalispel Casino, the Kalispel Golf and Country Club and Fatburger 5-mile will reopen on May 5, although Fatburger will be take-out only and the golf club will follow state-issued distancing protocols.
The tribe said in its release that "confirmed cases are continuing to decrease and more importantly, the Intensive Care Units within our local healthcare system have not been overwhelmed." The tribe also said it considers entertainment and hospitality services as essential businesses, as profits from these industries help fund government and public safety services for the Kalispel Tribe.
Due to the businesses owned by the tribe being closed for seven weeks, the tribe said it had to lay off or furlough more than 1,800 employees after paying them for the first three weeks.
The Kalispel Tribe said federal and state relief funds have only "met a fraction of the Tribe's and the Team Members' needs."
The tribe announced additional protocols that will be in place to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, which include but aren't limited to:
- Casinos will only be open from 10 a.m. - 2 a.m., and the floor will be closed for cleaning the remaining eight hours
- All employees working directly with guests will have to wear masks until further notice
- Encouraging guests to wear masks and providing a limited amount of masks for guests
- Only 50 percent of slot machines and tables will be open to increase distancing
- Staff will be notified when someone leaves a machine so it can be cleaned
- The closure of poker, off-track betting KENO and valet services
Hospital group urges Inslee to ease medical restrictions
A hospital industry group says patients in Washington are being hurt because they don’t have access to elective medical procedures that are currently restricted due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA), saying facilities have plenty of capacity amid a decline in COVID-19 patients, is urging Gov. Jay Inslee to let elective procedures resume.
Restrictions were put in place in March over concerns COVID-19 patients would overwhelm the system.
The governor’s proclamation affects all hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and dental, orthodontic and endodontic offices in Washington state. It applies to any non-urgent medical or dental procedure that requires medical professionals to wear personal protective equipment.
“We know the health care personal protective equipment supply chain in Washington has been severely disrupted by the significant increased use of such equipment worldwide,” Inslee said at the time. “We will do all we can to protect the women and men who protect us.”
Federal social distancing guidelines to expire
President Donald Trump says the federal government will not be extending its social distancing guidelines when they expire Thursday at the end of the month.Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that the coronavirus guidelines will be “fading out” because of work that governors are doing in their states.
Vice President Mike Pence said the guidelines issued 45 days ago have been incorporated into guidance provided to the states on how they can begin the process of gradually reopening their economies.
The guidelines – which were originally supposed to last 15 days and were then extended another 30 - included encouraging Americans to work from home and avoid restaurants and discretionary travel as well as telling older Americans and those with serious underlying health conditions to isolate themselves.
Gov. Inslee to give coronavirus update Wednesday afternoon
Gov. Jay Inslee will give an update to the state's response to the coronavirus pandemic at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
The governor will be joined by Vice Admiral Dr. Raquel Bono, director of Washington state COVID-19 health care response, Kathy Lofy, state health officer and
Washington's stay-at-home orders could extend past May 4
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s chief of staff says Inslee could announce an extension of the state’s COVID-19-related stay-at-home order later this week.
Inslee in early April extended orders to keep non-essential businesses closed and most of the state’s more than 7 million residents home through May 4, saying social distancing measures needed to continue to minimize the spread of the coronavirus.
Inslee has since announced the easing of some restrictions. The Washington Department of Health on Tuesday reported 21 additional deaths from the virus, bringing the total number of deaths to 786.