Mill Creek Beacon - Your Hometown News Source

Washingtonians will need to stay at home until at least May 4, Gov. Jay Inslee announced in a news conference on April 2.

He extended the statewide stay-at-home order to try to slow the spread of COVID-19.

He first announced the stay-at-home order March 23, saying it would be in place for two weeks. It started immediately for individuals but businesses had 48 hours to comply.

Nothing will change under the extended order – restaurants are still allowed to offer to-go orders, grocery stores are still open, and people are still allowed to go for a walk in their neighborhood. However, state parks will remain closed, schools will remain closed and all non-essential businesses will remain closed (or be required to let employees telecommute).

The state Department of Health has said eight field hospitals are expected to be built to help the local health care system respond to the virus. So far, a field hospital has been set up at CenturyLink Field in Seattle. Another one will be built in Puyallup, possibly at the Washington State Fairgrounds. Officials have looked at sites in Snohomish County but have not announced where a field hospital may go yet.

More than 200 people in Washington have died from COVID-19 in the last two months. As of April 2, there are 23 people with confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Mill Creek. There are 1, 376 confirmed cases of the virus total and 41 deaths total in Snohomish County specifically. The cases are expected to grow as test results become available and more people are able to be tested.

Check state DOH data here: https://www.doh.wa.gov/emergencies/coronavirus

Check Snohomish county health department data here: https://www.snohd.org/499/COVID-19-Case-Count-Info

More information on the governor's stay-at-home order here: https://coronavirus.wa.gov/whats-open-and-closed

This is a developing story and will be updated.