U.S. coronavirus death toll reaches 17; at least half of U.S. states confirm cases

Inside the race to find a coronavirus vaccine and treatment

Across the United States and the globe, scientists are racing to develop a vaccine and a treatment to contain the novel coronavirus. (Luis Velarde/The Washington Post)

By 

Derek Hawkins, 

Hannah Knowles, 

Michael Brice-Saddler, 

Siobhán O'Grady, 

Alex Horton and 

Reis Thebault 

March 6, 2020 at 11:36 p.m. GMT-5

The coronavirus death toll in the United States reached 17 late Friday when Florida health officials reported two fatalities, the first in the state.

Earlier in the day, the Seattle-area hospital caring for most of the coronavirus patients who have died in the United States reported three more deaths. Several states reported their first cases, and 21 people on a cruise ship off the coast of California have tested positive for the virus.

As more cases were identified, concerns also rose about who else could have been inadvertently exposed to the respiratory virus. In Maryland, health officials launched a search for other potentially infected people after three Montgomery County residents who had traveled overseas were found to have the virus.

Worldwide, the number of cases has surpassed 100,000. In the United States, there are more than 300, and at least half of all U.S. states have confirmed cases.

President Trump signed legislation Friday that provides $8.3 billion of emergency funding to tackle the coronavirus outbreak, enacting into law a measure passed swiftly and with broad bipartisan support.

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Here are the latest developments:

• EvergreenHealth, the Seattle-area hospital caring for most of the coronavirus patients who have died in the United States, reported three more fatalities Friday. Two other facilities for seniors in the area also announced they have residents with covid-19, the disease caused by the virus.
• Hawaii, Kentucky, Minnesota, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Pennsylvania confirmed their first covid-19 cases.
• Vice President Pence sought to assuage concerns about the availability of coronavirus testing Friday, saying that all public health laboratories now have the tests and that two of the country’s largest commercial laboratories will soon roll out materials as well.
• In Austin, the South by Southwest festival was canceled. And in Miami, plans for two festivals, the Ultra Music Festival and Calle Ocho, were also scrapped Friday because of fears that the events could help spread coronavirus.