COVID Cases Climb At Washington State’s Largest Psychiatric Hospital

ISSAQUAH, Wash. (AP) – As coronavirus cases top 200 at Washington state’s largest psychiatric hospital, officials are implementing new procedures to try to get it under control.

Making matters worse, the loss of state revenues that resulted from the pandemic is forcing the Department of Health and Human Services to make budget cuts, including layoffs at Western State Hospital.

COVID-19 has hit at least 158 hospital workers since March, which takes them off the schedule and means a lot of overtime for the workers left on the wards.

At least 64 patients have tested positive and one has died.