State Sen. Doug Ericksen Dies After Battle With COVID-19

ACROSS WASHINGTON — Washington state Sen. Doug Ericksen has died at age 52, according to the Associated Press.

Ericksen, a Republican from Ferndale who served Washington’s 42nd Legislative District, died weeks after he said he tested positive for coronavirus last month during a trip to El Salvador. The state Senate Republican Caucus confirmed his death to AP on Saturday, but his cause and location of death were not released.

It is unclear if Ericksen was vaccinated against coronavirus, but the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers El Salvador to have “high” transmission of COVID-19 and recommends travelers be fully vaccinated before visiting the country.

Ericksen was a critic of Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee’s COVID-19 emergency orders, and had introduced Senate Bill 5144, legislation aimed at protecting the rights of people who do not wish to get vaccinated.

Shortly after testing positive for coronavirus, Ericksen contacted members of the state legislature asking for monoclonal antibodies to be sent to him in El Salvador, and he soon arranged a medevac flight back to the United States. He was admitted to a Florida hospital for treatment the next week, according to former state Rep. Luanne Van Werven.

Ericksen’s whereabouts have been unknown for weeks as Ericksen’s legislative assistant, Sandy Ruff, Secretary of the Senate Brad Hendrickson and Whatcom County Republicans Chairman John Ramsey told the Bellingham Herald they were unaware of his status last week.

Ericksen served in the Washington state legislature since 1998, including as a senator since 2010.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on the Across Washington Patch