SEATTLE — More than 30 patients and staff at Washington’s largest psychiatric hospital are suffering from coronavirus — the biggest spike in cases to date — and more than 150 have tested positive since the virus first hit the facility in March.
Ten Western State Hospital patients on a single ward got sick within a few days of each other after a nurse tested positive about a week ago. The patients ranged in age of 62 to 82 and were moved to the hospital’s special COVID-19 ward so they’re kept away from other patients.
Twelve workers tested positive within a three-day span last week, hospital officials said. Most were on the same ward as the patient spike.
“With this news, I am pleading with all of us to hold each other accountable for wearing the correct masks, and wearing them over both your mouth and nose,” hospital CEO Dave Holt told staff in an email. “If a co-worker is not following the masking protocol, please stop them and ask them to mask to protect our patients and staff.”
