It’s been five years since the first documented case of COVID-19 in the US was recorded in Snohomish County, Washington, on January 21, 2020. By March 2020, the virus had spread rapidly across the country, with over 4,896 cases reported in Washington state.
In response to the outbreak, Governor Jay Inslee used emergency powers to implement crowd-control measures, including stay-at-home orders for most residents of Washington. This early action helped mitigate the spread of the virus and paved the way for future public health responses to the pandemic.
Source: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/its-been-5-years-since-was-first-covid-case-heres-what-to-know