Coronavirus updates: Test kits recalled; state funds community outreach
Updated at 5:45 p.m.
The Washington State Department of Health reported that the number of COVID-19 cases dropped on Sunday after “data cleaning” on Saturday night removed 190 cases that were discovered to be out of state residents.
The state also reported 10 additional deaths. The case total is now 11,790 with 634 deaths. DOH reported 11,802 confirmed cases and 624 deaths on Saturday.
King County continues to be the hardest hit with 5,135 cases and 346 deaths. Snohomish County has 2,101 cases and 94 deaths while Pierce County reported 1,164 cases and 29 deaths. There are 159 cases that haven’t been assigned a county.
DOH reported that 138,642 tests have now been given in Washington with 8.5% coming back positive.
Batch of collection kits recalled
Updated at 2:45 p.m.
The Washington State Department of Health was alerted on Friday by UW Medicine to discontinue use of a recently-procured batch of COVID-19 specimen collection kits that UW Medicine believed may have a quality control issue.
As a result, DOH recalled on Saturday night approximately 12,000 kits sent to local health jurisdictions, tribal nations and state agency partners across the state.
“Though the quality control issue has only been observed in a small number of tubes of viral transport media, we adhere to the highest quality standards for COVID-19 testing in Washington state,” said Secretary of Health John Wiesman. “We are working with our partners to have them discard the product and will work to replace them as quickly as we can.”
Viral transport media (VTM) is the fluid that preserves a specimen during transport, such as one collected via nasal swab from a person being tested for COVID-19. Some of the vials of VTM were an unusual color, which prompted UW Medicine to reach out to DOH to work together to investigate potential contamination.
DOH officials believe there is no health risk to patients, as the VTM does not come in contact with patients during a COVID-19 test.
Testing completed today at UW Medicine has indicated that the quality issues observed in the small number of the VTM tubes did not impact COVID-19 test results. While this investigation is still ongoing, DOH is choosing to recall both the VTM and the nasal collection swabs out of an abundance of caution.
The recalled specimen collection kits were procured by UW Medicine and donated to DOH from Lingen Precision Medical Products. No other supplies previously used for testing are impacted by this recall.
Jurisdictions who received these kits are encouraged to contact DOH for a new shipment of swabs and VTM transport tubes for replacement. DOH and state supplies aren’t adequate at the moment to immediately replace all swabs and VTM transport tubes, however, a large shipment of swabs from another vendor is expected this week and the state has VTM from another vendor.
The state is working closely with both the UW Medicine and local health partners to replace the recalled specimen collection kits as quickly as possible.
Pierce County reports 23 new cases
Updated at 2:45 p.m.
Pierce County reported 23 new cases on Sunday, bringing the total to 1,164 cases and 29 deaths. Two cases were reassigned to another county.
Tacoma’s total case numbers (396) and deaths (9) are the highest in the county.
On Saturday, the county confirmed 57 new cases — its highest single-day total since reporting 65 new cases on April 4.
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.
Sunday’s geographical totals are listed below with Saturday’s totals in parenthesis:
▪ Bonney Lake: 32 (no change)
▪ Central Pierce County: 94 (95)
▪ East Pierce County: 35 (34)
▪ Edgewood/Fife/Milton: 63 (no change)
▪ Frederickson: 40 (no change)
▪ Gig Harbor area: 50 (48)
▪ Graham: 38 (no change)
▪ JBLM: No longer reported
▪ Key Peninsula: 6 (no change)
▪ Lake Tapps/Sumner area: 28 (25)
▪ Lakewood: 97 (94)
▪ Parkland: 56 (54)
▪ Puyallup: 55 (53)
▪ South Hill: 66 (65)
▪ South Pierce County: 22 (21)
▪ Southwest Pierce County: 9 (no change)
▪ Spanaway: 36 (35)
▪ Tacoma: 396 (390)
▪ University Place: 38 (no change)
▪ Unknown: 3 (no change)
Updated at 12:40 p.m.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee again blasted President Donald Trump’s call to “liberate” parts of the country from state stay-at-home and other orders designed to combat the spread of the coronavirus, saying Sunday that Trump is fomenting a potentially deadly “insubordination” before the pandemic is contained.
Inslee’s comments on ABC-TV’s “ This Week ” came as protesters in various cities around the country have called for an end to stay-at-home orders that governors of both parties say are essential to curbing the pandemic’s spread. Such a rally was planned later Sunday in Olympia, Washington’s capital.
Asked about Trump’s tweets last week that included “Liberate Michigan” and “Liberate Virginia” from governors’ orders, Inslee replied:
“I don’t know any other way to characterize it, when we have an order from governors, both Republicans and Democrats, that basically are designed to protect people’s health, literally their lives, to have a president of the United States basically encourage insubordination, to encourage illegal activity.
“To have an American president to encourage people to violate the law, I can’t remember any time during my time in America where we have seen such a thing,” Inslee continued.
The governor said Trump’s statements were “doubly frustrating” and exhibited “such a schizophrenia” because they contradict guidelines on reopening state economies issued last week by the White House. Those guidelines leave it to the states to determine when to relax social distancing restrictions that have forced millions of nonessential businesses to shut down.
“Under those guidelines, you need to see a decline in the infections and fatalities. And that simply has not happened yet,” Inslee said.
State funds community outreach program
Updated at 8:35 a.m.
In an effort to make sure all Washingtonians have the information they need to stay healthy, the state is funding a $500,000 community-based outreach campaign. Community-rooted organizations will provide emergency language and outreach services to groups disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic but less likely to be receiving timely information through government agencies and traditional news media.
“It’s crucial for every Washingtonian to understand how to stay healthy, stop the spread of COVID-19 and find resources to help them during this difficult time,” said Washington State Secretary of Health John Wiesman. “By engaging trusted members and leaders of our state’s diverse communities to develop and share that information effectively, we’ll be much better able to fight this pandemic together.”
The state Department of Health has made information available in at least 26 languages and strives to ensure educational materials are appropriate for many cultures. However, community-rooted efforts led by trusted messengers are often the most effective in communicating critical health information.
Some groups may be affected by COVID-19 more than others due to the disease’s health impacts, systemic health care inequities or an individual’s living situation or increased risk of exposure. These groups may need information provided in different formats or languages than what many media outlets and government agencies provide.
Successful applicants are to use the state funding to offer culturally relevant and linguistically appropriate information, education, and outreach about COVID-19 to diverse communities affected by the disease.
Community-rooted organizations, small businesses, and tribal governments interested in applying can download an information sheet or email DOH-CETF@doh.wa.gov for more information. Applications are due May 3, but the department will begin reviewing them April 27. Because of the urgent need, applying by April 26 is encouraged. Contracts will run through July 31, 2020. Individual awards will vary and could be up to $30,000.
Puyallup nonprofits receive help from national veteran organization
Updated at 8:35 a.m.
Puyallup nonprofits have received $6,000 in donations from a national veterans program.
Veterans United Foundation has provided $1 million in donations to organizations across the country to help service providers support vulnerable populations during the coronavirus pandemic. Puyallup was the only city in Washington to receive help.
The foundation is funded solely by Veterans United Home Loans employees, said Afifa Saburi with Veterans United Home Loans. Workers donate a portion of their salaries for the foundation. Veterans United has a branch office in Puyallup.
Three Puyallup non-profit organizations — Step By Step, Communities in Schools and the Puyallup Food Bank — were given $2,000 each by the foundation.
Puyallup Food Bank CEO Jim Beaudoin said Veterans United has been helping feed the community for years.
“They are supporting us all the time. A few years ago, they donated $10,000,” he said. “It all helps us serve the community, especially at a time when need is swelling up.”
He said the funds will help purchase more food. With other food banks increasing their purchases as well, prices for food in bulk has been creeping up, Beaudoin said. The wait for deliveries also has increased to about eight weeks.
Jan Mauk, director of Communities in Schools for Puyallup, said she hasn’t received any funds yet, but they will be used to support families with food and basic needs.
Washington bus driver dies after contracting coronavirus
Updated at 8:35 a.m.
A King County Metro bus driver who worked in a highly-populated area that includes Seattle has died after contracting the coronavirus.
Metro in a statement to The Seattle Times confirmed the death Thursday of 59-year-old Samina Hameed.
“Metro and our entire community are deeply thankful for their service,” Metro officials said. “Our thoughts are with their family, friends and colleagues, as we look to do everything we can to support them.”
Hameed had been a Metro employee since 2017. Her husband is also a Metro operator, and the two have three children. Hameed is the first Metro bus driver to die during the pandemic.
Transit is deemed an essential service, but drivers typically come in contact with the public and have an increased chance of contracting the virus.
Washington has more than 11,800 confirmed virus cases and at least 624 deaths, according to the state Department of Health.
Washington anglers protest coronavirus fishing closure
Updated at 8:35 a.m.
Protesters in boats and on shore Saturday demanded that restrictions on recreational fishing and shellfish harvesting in Washington because of the coronavirus be lifted.
About 50 boats along with several hundred protesters on shore gathered on Saturday around Columbia Point Marina in Richland in southwestern Washington.
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife on March 25 temporarily closed recreational fishing and shellfish harvesting to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
But the protesters say the restrictions should be lifted because anglers can practice social distancing while fishing. They said kayakers, jet skis, wake boarders, pleasure boaters and others are on the water.
“There’s nobody but us two out in the middle of the river,” Alan Doughty told the Tri-City Herald. He was on their boat in the Columbia River with Pam Doughty and their two dogs. “We’ve got a $60,000 boat. We have I don’t know how much in gear. We’ve got a fishing license. We’ve got insurance, and we can’t use it,”
Ben Hanes organized the protest after noticing non-fishing boaters on the water and believed the restrictions on fishing were unfair.
“The anglers of Washington state aren’t going to put up with (the ban) much longer,” he said.
This story was originally published April 19, 2020 at 8:33 AM.
