Medical Lake staff member tests positive for COVID-19

MEDICAL LAKE, Wash. — A staff member of Medical Lake School District has tested positive for COVID-19, the school district said Saturday.

Before showing symptoms, the staff member spent time at Hallett Elementary and Medical Lake High School as a Robotics team advisor, the district’s superintendent said in a release.

Medical Lake, Cheney and the rest of the K-12 school districts will be shutting down this week as ordered by Gov. Jay Inslee. Most will shut down at midnight, March 17.

Inslee issued the order on Friday, along with limiting gatherings to no larger than 250 people, on Friday, March 13 in an effort to curb the spread of the virus. Sixteen Washington counties have now reported COVID-19 cases, representing over 75 percent of the population.

In the release, the Medical Lake Superintendent Tim Ames said district leadership is working with Spokane Regional Health to follow proper protocols during this time.