Dire warnings from Governor Jay Inslee during a visit to Yakima on Tuesday. The governor traveled to Yakima to talk to community and business leaders about reopening the economy during the pandemic. The officials met at Yakima Valley College Tuesday afternoon. Afterwards the governor spoke to reporters warning Yakima could have a disaster on the horizon if COVID-19 numbers don't fall in the near future. The governor says the percentage of hospitalizations in Yakima  because of COVID-19 is eight times higher than King County. Yakima County is one of six counties still in phase one of the state's reopening plan.

The governor says increased testing coupled with the urgent need for people to wear masks will hopefully slow the spread of the virus. He says he could impose requirements on the community but he's hoping more people will just agree to wear a mask in public. The Governor's surprise visit to Yakima wasn't announced until late in the day Tuesday but some people did show up at the press conference with protest signs urging the governor to reopen Yakima as soon as possible.

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