Washington State Coronavirus Cases Nearly Double in One Day

70 cases confirmed in the state, up from 39 a day earlier

People walk through Manhattan with surgical masks as fears of the coronavirus spreading through the U.S. increase in New York City on March 4, 2020. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

The Washington Department of Health Secretary John Wiesman said Thursday that there are 70 COVID-19 coronavirus cases in the state, with the bulk of them occurring in King County, representing a sharp uptick in patients as compared to the previous day.

Fifty-one cases and eight deaths have been confirmed in King County, which includes cities such as Seattle and Kirkland, said officials.