First COVID-19 death in Pierce County; Puyallup woman had underlying health issues
The first Pierce County death tied to COVID-19 was announced Wednesday, with 12 new cases reported.
A release from the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department stated: “We confirmed Wednesday that a Puyallup woman in her 50s died of complications from COVID-19.”
The woman is the first Pierce County resident to die during the outbreak. On Wednesday, Pierce County’s number of confirmed cases rose to 56 from 44, with 1,152 tested since the start of the outbreak.
The county health department on Wednesday changed the way it is reporting the cases on its website, now listed by city, not individually by patient.
Steve Metcalf, communications specialist for the Health Department, explained the reporting change to The News Tribune via email:
“We aligned our case reporting style with what the State Department of Health does for consistency. Overall, this reporting style responds to public requests for more information about cases and testing in the county. As our cases increase, this style should provide the public with a clear and easy-to-access way to understand COVID-19 activity in our communities.”
From that list, nine areas in Pierce County are shown to have cases:
▪ Bonney Lake: 1
▪ East Pierce County: 1
▪ Gig Harbor area: 3
▪ Lakewood: 3
▪ North East Pierce County: 2
▪ Puyallup: 8
▪ South Pierce County: 5
▪ Tacoma: 27
▪ University Place: 6
Regarding the county’s first death, the department said Wednesday: “The woman had multiple underlying health conditions. She was admitted to MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup on March 6.”
“Our hearts go out to the woman’s friends, family and the many people who know and cared about her in the Puyallup community,” health department director Dr. Anthony L-T Chen said in a news release.
“This underscores the threat COVID-19 poses to our county, our state and the world. We all must do our part to prevent the spread.”
The News Tribune has identified the woman who died, but loved ones asked that her name be withheld.
Jean Wiggins, a family friend, said losing her has been even more difficult because of the isolation.
“We can’t do anything tangible because we have to stay away,” Wiggins told The News Tribune. “This is the time we are supposed to come together and bring a parade of casseroles and be there for the ceremony of grief. And we can’t do that.”
At a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Chen would not disclose further details about the woman’s condition, but said: “People need to think about what their health is now .... diabetes, asthma, smoking, vaping, any of those can make your health condition worse and even things like surgery ... now is the time to ask, ‘Am i taking care of myself?’ We all need to be looking at our health conditions.”
He added that “even if you don’t have chronic health conditions, do everything you can” to stay healthy by getting enough rest and exercise and maintaining good hygiene as well as good nutrition.
County Executive Bruce Dammeier, also at Wednesday’s news conference, said, “This is a day we hoped would never come but knew we needed to plan for,” he said.
Dammeier emphasized the woman’s death should not be looked at as just a number or statistic, noting she was a valuable community volunteer and active in her daughter’s school.
The health department in its news release emphasized that COVID-19 “can be particularly dangerous for people in high-risk groups. That includes people who have underlying conditions, are over 60 and are pregnant.”
The health department added, “Social distancing protects people in those high-risk groups. Even if you are not considered high-risk, you can become infected with COVID-19 and spread it to those who are. People who don’t have symptoms can be contagious.”
For more information on COVID-19 and ways to protect yourself, visit the county Health Department’s website: https://www.tpchd.org/healthy-people/human-coronavirus.
This story was originally published March 18, 2020 at 12:19 PM.
