A skilled nursing facility in Washington state reported that at least two people have the coronavirus, and state officials say other residents are reporting similar respiratory symptoms.

The development, reported on Saturday, is particularly worrisome because scientists say that coronavirus can be far worse in people who are older and who have underlying health problems. Nursing homes, in particular, face the prospect of widespread illness because people are in close quarters and regularly receive visitors and require the help of healthcare staff.

One health worker at the nursing home, who is in her 40s, was found to have the virus. The other infected person is a 70-year-old resident. State officials said another 27 residents of the nursing home and 25 staff are reporting symptoms similar to COVID-19, which involve fever, cough, and difficulty of breathing.

A third person died from the illness, known as COVID-19, in the state, but was not connected to the facility. The patient who died was a male in his 50s who had severe underlying health issues, officials said. He was a patient at EvergreenHealth Hospital, and while it's not clear where the patient became infected, officials said it did not appear he got the virus while he was at the hospital or that the man had a connection to Life Care.

"At the present time, we do not see a connection between the two, but there are some evolving threats that are being investigated," said Dr. Frank Riedo, medical director of Infection Control at EvergreenHealth. The man's family was informed that they risked getting infected, and healthcare workers are following up with them, Riedo said.

The nursing home with the outbreak is called Life Care Center and is located in Kirkland. It has 108 residents and 180 staff.

Jeffrey Duchin, health officer for Seattle and King County, said he would "not be surprised" if more cases are reported. The state reported two other cases on Friday evening, one in a person who hadn't traveled outside the United States and who wasn't aware of coming in contact with anyone infected. He stressed that people should be washing their hands and staying home if they felt sick.

"We know we can't stop it," Duchin said. "It's here, and it's going to be here with us in the U.S. for quite a while, but we can reduce our risk."

Dr. Kathy Lofy, a state health officer, said that if the outbreak worsens, then officials may recommend canceling large public events. "We don't feel that is the situation we are in now," she said.

"We do not feel such a risk that transmission is occurring on a widespread basis by any means," Lofy added.

The risk of coronavirus infection to most people in the U.S. remains low, and most people who get infected don't have severe symptoms, but the risks and severity are far worse among residents in the home and among people in similar circumstances. People with underlying illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and respiratory symptoms are particularly susceptible to having a severe illness and to being at risk of death, Dr. Tony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in a press conference Saturday.

The governor of Washington, Jay Inslee, declared a state of emergency on Saturday.