Area schools prepare for coronavirus

RITZVILLE - With a state of emergency declared due to the coronavirus outbreak, local schools are preparing for the epidemic to strike here.

On Monday and Tuesday, the Colville School District became the latest - and closest - school district to announce closures due to the virus that was first reported in the Wuhan area of China.

Eight districts canceled classes on 12 campuses in the last two days.

Colville's decision to shutter schools followed closures in Western Washington in both Everett and Kirkland. And it followed Gov. Jay Inslee's declaration of a state of emergency.

In larger cities, stores are seeing a run on supplies and residents are panicked over the outbreak.

Here in Adams County, officials say there is no need for panic.

Adams County Health Department Nursing Director Karen Potts said there's no sign the coronavirus is here.

"No one has been tested as of yet," Potts said. "We have no PUIs, or what we call 'persons under investigation' in Adams County at this time."

The Lind-Ritzville School district is also preparing.

"We are monitoring information from the [state Department of Health] and [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] sites and working with our local health department," Superintendent Don Vanderholm said. "We are taking steps to disseminate information and promote prevention among our students and staff."

Vanderholm said at this time no closure is warranted, but that the district will act quickly if one becomes needed.

"We are also planning for the possibility of a temporary school closure and how to best serve students if faced with such a situation," Vanderholm said. "The three main components of our preparations include: encouraging hand hygiene, monitoring absenteeism, and communicating routinely."

At least one suspected case has been reported in nearby Grant County.

At the February hospital board meeting, East Adams Rural Healthcare nurse practitioner Julie Trofibio said that the coronavirus "is the same thing, with a different name, as flu-like symptoms."

She said that the publicity of the virus should serve as a reminder for people to be vigilant when it comes to washing hands, covering mouths and wearing facemasks.

When asked if the coronavirus was more severe than the flu, She said it wasn't, but that like the flu it will have a greater effect on younger and older people.