Coronavirus death toll jumps to 6 in United States

Five more people have died from coronavirus in Washington state, bringing the total number of reported deaths in the U.S. to six, public health officials confirmed Monday.

The Washington state deaths are the first reported in the country. All have occurred in Seattle or King and Snohomish counties. Officials said there have been 18 total cases in Washington state, including 14 in Seattle and King County.

In total, US has confirmed nearly 100 cases of the coronavirus, which originated in Wuhan, China two months ago.

Forty-four of those cases are passengers who’d been quarantined on the Diamond Princess cruise ship then repatriated. Three evacuees from Wuhan also tested positive for the coronavirus.

Twelve states have reported cases, though in two of those states — Nebraska and Texas — the infections are only among repatriated citizens.

The coronavirus causes a respiratory disease known as COVID-19. More than 3,000 people have died and more than 89,000 others have been infected, about 90% of whom are in China. Cases have been recorded in 69 countries.