Coronavirus updates: Washington has more than 11,800 cases; Pierce County reports 57 new cases
This page includes coronavirus developments around Washington state for Saturday, April 18.
WASHINGTON REPORTS 357 NEW CASES, 21 DEATHS
Updated 5:10 p.m.
The Washington State Department of Health reported 357 new COVID-19 cases and 21 additional deaths Saturday.
Statewide case totals have reached 11,802, while the state’s death toll is now at 624, up from 11,445 cases and 603 deaths Friday.
King County continues to be the hardest hit, and is the first county in the state to pass 5,000 cases, reporting 5,024 with 339 deaths, while Snohomish County has 2,060 cases and 93 deaths and Pierce County has 1,143 cases and 29 deaths.
Of the state’s 39 counties, all but Garfield County have reported cases, with Benton (304), Clark (264), Franklin (177), Grant (137), Island (157), King (5,024), Kitsap (136), Pierce (1,143), Skagit (230), Snohomish (2,060), Spokane (298), Whatcom (273) and Yakima (748) all reporting more than 100 cases.
Nineteen counties have reported at least one virus-related death. All but four of those counties have reported multiple deaths, with Benton (34), Clark (15), King (339), Pierce (29), Snohomish (93), Spokane (15), Whatcom (26) and Yakima (35) all reporting more than 10.
There are 436 cases that have not been assigned to a county.
There have been 135,706 people tested in Washington, with positive cases at 8.7%.
PIERCE COUNTY REPORTS HIGHEST SINGLE-DAY CASE TOTAL IN 2 WEEKS
Updated 1:45 p.m.
Pierce County confirmed 57 new COVID-19 cases Saturday — its highest single-day total since reporting 65 new cases on April 4 — bringing its total cases to 1,143.
Nearly half of the newly confirmed cases (26) were reported from the Central Pierce County area.
The county also reported the death of a Tacoma woman in her 80s with underlying health conditions, and has reported 29 virus-related deaths since the outbreak began.
Tacoma’s total case numbers (390) and deaths (nine) are the highest in the county.
Daily case totals can change as the county receives new information about cases, finds duplicate data or is assigned cases that were originally attributed to other counties. The health department has released a statement on delays in data posting.
Saturday’s geographical totals are listed below with Friday’s totals in parenthesis:
▪ Bonney Lake: 32 (29)
▪ Central Pierce County: 95 (69)
▪ East Pierce County: 34 (32)
▪ Edgewood/Fife/Milton: 63 (59)
▪ Frederickson: 40 (38)
▪ Gig Harbor area: 48 (47)
▪ Graham: 38 (37)
▪ JBLM: No longer reported
▪ Key Peninsula: 6 (no change)
▪ Lake Tapps/Sumner area: 25 (24)
▪ Lakewood: 94 (92)
▪ Parkland: 54 (55)
▪ Puyallup: 53 (52)
▪ South Hill: 65 (no change)
▪ South Pierce County: 21 (20)
▪ Southwest Pierce County: 9 (8)
▪ Spanaway: 35 (34)
▪ Tacoma: 390 (379)
▪ University Place: 38 (37)
▪ Unknown: 3 (2)
Daily reports include cases received by 11:59 p.m. the previous day.
FDA ENCOURAGES RECOVERED COVID-19 PATIENTS TO DONATE PLASMA
Updated 12:30 p.m.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administrations are encouraging patients who have recovered from COVID-19 to donate their blood plasma in an effort to help fight the virus.
In a release Thursday, the FDA said more than 1,040 medical facilities and 950 physicians are expanding access to convalescent plasma, which is “an antibody-rich product made from blood donated by people who have recovered from the disease caused by the virus.”
Treating patients with that plasma has proven to lessen the severity other respiratory viruses, or shortened them length, the FDA says.
The American Red Cross requires those willing to donate plasma to be at least 17 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds. Donors must have also had a positive COVID-19 test, but have since recovered, and be in generally good health.
Eligibility forms can be accessed on the Red Cross website.
DSHS NOW PROVIDING DISASTER CASH ASSISTANCE TO SOME WASHINGTON RESIDENTS
Updated 11:30 a.m.
The state Department of Social and Health Services said in a release Friday it is now offering emergency cash assistance to help qualifying residents with immediate needs.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government has approved implementing the Disaster Cash Assistance Program in Washington.
“The Governor’s declaration of a statewide emergency and subsequent proclamation on March 18 enables DSHS to offer DCAP benefits to people who are not eligible for other cash assistance programs,” the release says. “The assistance is available to all Washington families and people without children who meet the income and resource limits of the program. DSHS estimates more than 175,000 households may be eligible for this assistance.”
The program is designed to help with immediate, basic needs such as costs for shelter, utilities, clothing, minor medical care, household supplies and transportation costs for work, the release says.
Assistance is available to residents regardless of citizenship status, the release says, and the application does not require a Social Security number.
“Eligible households will receive their DCAP benefits for one month in a 12-month period during an emergency,” the release says. “The benefit amount depends on household size, income and need, ranging from a maximum of $363 for a single person to a maximum of $1,121 for a household of eight or more people.
“Once approved, people will receive their DCAP benefits on an existing Electronic Benefit Transfer, or EBT, card or a new EBT card will be sent via U.S. Mail.”
Applications for DCAP benefits can be filled out online or completed over the phone at 877-501-2233.
A follow-up call to the Customer Service Contact Center at the same phone number is required to complete the interview if the initial application was completed online.
The highest call volumes are daily from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Because of this DSHS recommends calling before 11 a.m.
CAPITAL CITY MARATHON OPENS REGISTRATION FOR VIRTUAL RUN
Updated 11 a.m.
The Capital City Marathon Association, which holds its marathon weekend annually in the Olympia area, has opened registration for its 2020 Virtual Run.
The usual organized races — which include a full marathon, half marathon, 5-mile race and kids run each May — have been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the association is encouraging runners to complete the races on their own, and still offering finishing medals.
“Virtual runs may happen on a route of the runner’s choosing any time between May 15 and June 15,” CCMA said in a release. “We encourage runners to choose a route that allows them to maintain a safe distance from others before, during, and after your run. Medals can be earned after a runner’s results are posted. Medals will be available after June 15.”
Anyone who registered for the organized races before they were canceled has automatically been registered for the Virtual Run at no extra cost.
All 2020 registrations have also been deferred to the 2021 event.
Those who have not yet registered for the Virtual Run can do so for $15 on the CCM website.
Marathon, half marathon and 5-mile options are all available and include finishing medals.
Those who want to make changes which race they are participating in should contact the association by email.
Registrations are limited to the number of medals available.
Further north, the annual Tacoma City Marathon continues to monitor the COVID-19 situation, according to its website. Its races are scheduled for May 2-3.
“TCMA continues to monitor the developments with the COVID-19 crisis and the impact the government mandates and public safety concerns have on our upcoming races,” the website says. “In light of this, TCMA has made the decision to suspend registrations for the Tacoma City Marathon and Ghost of Tacoma on May 2 and 3.
“We are not canceling the race at this time. If possible, we will postpone the race to a later date but due to the evolving and rapidly changing situation, we are unable to confirm a date. TCMA will continue to monitor the situation and work in close contact with the City of Tacoma.”
WHERE IS YOUR STIMULUS CHECK?
Updated 10:15 a.m.
The first round of payments from the federal stimulus package have been deposited, but many Americans are still waiting for their relief payment from the Internal Revenue Service.
According to the IRS, more than 80 million Americans should receive their payments by the end of the week.
But, that’s “just over half the 150 million payments expected to go out under the Economic Impact Program,” the Washington Post reported this week.
Here are some issues that have surfaced with the program, and possible reasons why your stimulus check hasn’t hit your bank account yet:
▪ Outdated information: Those who have moved since filing their tax returns and have opted for mailed checks in the past may be giving the IRS outdated information.
“If the latest tax return you filed was for 2018 and the mailing address is no longer accurate, then you need to file a 2019 return to update your address,” according to a Business Insider report. “There’s no other way to update your address at this time.”
If a bank account used for a previous return has been closed, and the 2019 return hasn’t been filed with updated information, that can also cause an error. Those stimulus payments would be returned to the IRS and sent again via mail, Business Insider says.
The IRS is allowing the public to input new bank account information through its recently released online tool, but CNN reports it won’t work if the IRS already has direct deposit information from 2018 or 2019 and has already processed the stimulus payment.
“Filing a 2019 return now, if you haven’t already done so, is the only way to update direct deposit information that the IRS has on file from a 2018 return,” CNN says.
▪ Problems with tax preparation services: Businesses that assist with taxes annually — such as TurboTax or H&R Block — only sets up temporary accounts to process refunds, so they can extract relevant fees for their services, according to CNN.
“The IRS does not have these people’s direct deposit information on file if they received an advance on their tax refund from these companies or had the fee for tax preparation taken out of their tax refund,” the Washington Post reported.
Bank information for those who filed through TurboTax has been submitted to the IRS, though.
“The IRS has the appropriate banking information for all TurboTax filers, which can be used by them to distribute stimulus payments,” a spokesperson told McClatchy News. “This is true regardless of whether a customer chose to receive their refund on a debit card, selected refund transfer or other services.”
H&R Block’s website says some Emerald cardholders will have their payments sent to the card.
“We have been contacting Emerald Card clients with any information we have about their stimulus payment, including reminding Emerald Card clients who no longer have their card that we are here to help and will reissue cards so they can use their stimulus payment,” the website says.
The IRS recommends customers submit their direct deposit information through the Get My Payment tool to avoid issues related to tax preparation services. Payment status updates can also be checked through the tool.
▪ No refunds to draw information from: Those who owed money on their 2018 or 2019 returns and did not receive a refund need to use the tool to give the IRS direct deposit information.
“The IRS is not using bank account information it may have used to withdraw from your account if you owed money,” CNN says.
▪ Lack of information for government program beneficiaries: The IRS does not have necessary information for those who didn’t file tax returns in 2018 or 2019 due to low income or if they relied on financial aid from the government and aren’t required to file.
Those who are included in this category will have to use the non-filer tool provided by the IRS and choose whether to receive the payment by direct deposit or mail.
The tool also requires users to input names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers for filers and their dependents.
Social Security recipients, railroad-service retirees and Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries are eligible to receive the stimulus payments, which will be automatic.
Payments should be received “no later than early May,” the U.S. Department of the Treasury says.
YARD WASTE ACCEPTED FROM TACOMA RESIDENTS BEGINNING MONDAY
Updated 9 a.m.
Tacoma’s Solid Wast Management will begin a phased approach to resume services Monday at the Tacoma Recovery and Transfer Center, according a release from the city.
The transfer center, located at 3510 S Mullen St. will begin its first preliminary phase Monday morning, and effective through May 3, will be open to self-haul yard waste from residential customers only from 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
“Customers must have an active solid waste residential collection account serviced by the City and must maintain social distancing requirements at all times,” the release says.
The period of reduced services has allowed SWM to implement safety measures to keep employees and customers healthy at the facility, the release says.
SWM will continue to plan for additional services currently unavailable to self-haul customers.
No residential self-haul garbages, recycling or Call-2-Haul loads are currently being accepted, though curbside services are still available.
Essential commercial solid waste loads, as defined by Gov. Jay Inslee’s order, are still being accepted, must be in excess of 1,000 pounds, and payments should be made by credit card.
The Household Hazardous Waste Facility is open Fridays through Mondays from 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
INSLEE SIGNS 3 NEW PROCLAMATIONS
Updated 8:30 a.m.
Gov. Jay Inslee signed three new proclamations Friday in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, extending two proclamations and adding a third.
The first, which pertains to truck driver hours, extends the original proclamation signed March 18 to waive or suspend the restrictions on driver hours.
“The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has extended the federal restrictions through May 15,” a release on the governor’s website says. “After consulting with the state’s Emergency Management Division, an extension of the state’s waiver of these rules continues to be needed. This proclamation extends the state waiver of truck driver hours restrictions through May 15 as well.”
The second, which pertains to utility payment and operation, extends the original proclamation signed March 18 that waived certain laws to provide relief to utility payers through the state Utilities and Transportation Commission.
It has been extended to May 4, and has been expanded to prohibit energy, landline phone and water providers in the state from disconnecting residential customers due to nonpayment, refusing to reconnect residential customers who have already been disconnected due to nonpayment and charging fees or late repayment for reconnection services.
“The proclamation strongly encourages utilities to adopt flexible credit and billing practices and work with customers to set up payment arrangements,” the governor’s site says.
The third, which pertains to community associations meetings and late fees, waives and suspends “laws that create barriers to holding community association meetings remotely” and waives and suspends statutes that “permit the imposition and collection of fees for late payment of community assessments.”
TACOMA PROJECTING $40M BLOW TO BUDGET
Updated 8 a.m.
Tacoma is projecting a loss of about $40 million in its general fund as businesses and services across the city remain in standby during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a presentation earlier this month, city budget officer Katie Johnston said impacts will be felt across all revenue sources.
“That includes sales taxes, businesses and occupation taxes, event-based revenues, hotel/motel tax, construction-based revenues — all those will see direct impacts as we have closures and job losses in our community,” she told City Council.
Tacoma has identified $28 million in one-time savings by refraining from filling job vacancies, and taking from capital projects and 2020 initiatives.
To help ease costs, city projects such as revamping Gas Station Park, holding meeting to address additional homeless shelter capacity, adding an additional fire engine, work on the public boat launch at Thea Foss Waterway and Youth Commission support, have been canceled.
Tacoma is also using $10 million from the general fund reserves — which currently sit at $43 million or about two months worth of annual expenses.
The city’s reserve policy directs reserves to be maintained between 10-20% of projected annual expenditures. Using $10 million in reserves will drop Tacoma’s reserves to 12.8% of annual expenses.
The efforts still leave a $12 million gap that will stretch beyond services and programs that aren’t one-time.
Personnel reduction is in its initial phase, which includes voluntary programs like early retirement, time schedule reduction and unpaid options. The next phase will include non-voluntary reduction from wage adjustments, furloughs or layoffs.
Long-term impacts could cause an additional $30 million loss for the city in 2021.
ESD ANNOUNCES NEW UNEMPLOYMENT WEBINAR
Updated 8 a.m.
The state Employment Security Department announced Friday it will provide additional webinars to introduce the public to unemployment benefits.
“Due to the continued high demand for unemployment benefits, we are offering a new option for customers to learn more about setting up a Secure Access Washington (SAW) account and submitting a claim for benefits online,” ESD wrote on its website.
The nine webinar sessions begin Monday, will be conducted using WebEx, and the content will not change.
The agenda includes:
▪ Filing a new unemployment insurance claim
▪ Filing a claim for expanded unemployment
▪ General requirements and information
▪ Services and programs offered through WorkSource Offices
Informational slides can be downloaded here.
Monday’s three sessions are currently open for free registration.
Here is a full schedule of this week’s sessions:
▪ Monday, April 20 — 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m.
▪ Tuesday, April 21 — 9 a.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m.
▪ Wednesday, April 22 — 10 a.m.
▪ Thursday, April 23 — 10 a.m.
▪ Friday, April 24 — 10 a.m.
This story was originally published April 18, 2020 at 8:01 AM.
