Washington State has opened a quarantine facility to house travelers who could be at risk of the novel coronavirus. It's a dormitory normally used by recruits to the Washington State Patrol’s Fire Academy in North Bend. The remote 50-acre facility, on the outskirts of North Bend, sits at the end of a 2 mile long mountainous road.
The quarantine facility will give travelers from the affected regions of China a place to stay while it’s confirmed they do not have the virus.
Chris Loftis, a spokesperson for the state patrol, said the facility is reserved for travelers coming from the affected regions in China who do not have symptoms.
“This (state) may not be their home. They may not have a place to quarantine. So it’s for those folks who have nowhere else to go but still need to be looked after,” Loftis said.
Travelers who do show symptoms will be immediately transferred to a hospital.
SeaTac airport is one of the major airports that will receive passengers traveling from China.
Health officials stress the danger of the virus spreading in Washington remains quite low. So far, there has only been one confirmed case of coronavirus in Washington. All other tests have come back negative.
