Six dead in Washington state from coronavirus, as criticism mounts over handling of outbreak

Seattle, March 4 (RHC)-- The death toll from the coronavirus on U.S. soil has jumped to six people -- all in Washington state -- prompting King County to declare a state of emergency. 

At least 15 different states have now identified cases, with over 100 known cases countrywide.  

The Centers for Disease Control has come under fire for issues with its original diagnostic test kit, which then took weeks to rectify.  The CDC also removed statistics on its website Monday tracking the number of people tested for coronavirus. 

This weekend, the agency said fewer than 500 Americans have been tested so far, but Trump claimed Monday a million tests might be administered by the end of the week. South Korea is reportedly administering 10,000 tests per day.

In New York, where the first case of infection was confirmed this weekend, one man has taken to self-quarantining himself in his Brooklyn apartment, after the CDC refused to test him despite having symptoms that appear to be consistent with coronavirus. 

U.S. President Donald Trump meanwhile continues to rail against Democrats over the coronavirus. At a rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, Monday, he accused Democratic lawmakers of being “fringe globalists” who would prefer to keep borders open, which he says will prevent the containment of the virus.

This comes after he claimed that criticism of his handling of the outbreak is part of a Democratic “hoax.”  The global death toll for the coronavirus has topped 3,000, with over 90,000 confirmed cases.