Coronavirus updates: Inslee extends Safe Start proclamation; 80 UW frat residents test positive
This page includes coronavirus developments around Washington state for Thursday, July 2.
Updated at 4:45 p.m.
The Washington State Department of Health on Thursday reported 716 new cases of COVID-19 — the highest daily total since the start of the pandemic — and three additional deaths.
Washington state reported the first confirmed coronavirus case in the United States in January.
Statewide totals have reached 34,151 cases 1,342, up from 33,435 cases 1,339 on Wednesday
King County continues to be the hardest hit with 10,535 cases and 615 deaths. Yakima County has 7,270 cases and 159 deaths while Snohomish County has 3,588 cases and 171 deaths. Pierce County reported 56 new cases and no deaths on Wednesday, bringing its totals to2,642 cases and 90 deaths.
Garfield, the state’s least populous county, remains the only county without a reported case. Six other counties are reporting fewer than 10 cases each.
There are 88 cases that have not been assigned to a county.
There were 33 people with confirmed cases of COVID-19 admitted to state hospitals on June 24, the most recent date with complete data. The total number of people who have been hospitalized in the state stood at 4,442 on Monday.
There have been 584,989 tests conducted in the state with 5.8% coming back positive.
The test numbers reflect only polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which are given to patients while the virus is presumably still active in the body.
Pierce County reports 56 new cases
Updated at 2:15 p.m.
Pierce County reported 56 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Thursday and no additional deaths.
Totals are now 2,642 cases and 90 deaths since the county’s first case was reported March 6, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.
Daily totals can change as the county receives new information about cases, finds duplicate data or is assigned cases originally attributed to other counties.
Thursday’s spike was the second time since Saturday that more than 50 new cases were logged.
In a presentation Wednesday to the Board of Health, staff with the health department noted community spread was now affecting some businesses which had either not seen outbreaks during Phase 1 of the state’s Safe Start plan or had not seen any recent cases.
Tacoma logged 15 new cases on Thursday.
The county has reported 447 cases in the past 14 days, according to the health department. The 14-day case rate per 100,000 population is 49.6, and average cases per day over the past 14 days is 31.9.
As of Thursday, the county reported an estimated 630 still-active cases.
Testing is available at various sites in the county. For more information on local testing sites, go to www.tpchd.org/covidtest.
Thursday’s geographical case totals are listed below with previous day’s totals in parentheses:
▪ Bonney Lake: 54 (52)
▪ Central Pierce County: 177 (175)
▪ East Pierce County: 66 (64)
▪ Edgewood/Fife/Milton: 115 (112)
▪ Frederickson: 89 (85)
▪ Gig Harbor area: 70 (71)
▪ Graham: 77 (no change)
▪ JBLM: No longer reported
▪ Key Peninsula: 11 (no change)
▪ Lake Tapps/Sumner area: 72 (70)
▪ Lakewood: 274 (270)
▪ Parkland: 155 (153)
▪ Puyallup: 181 (178)
▪ South Hill: 136 (130)
▪ South Pierce County: 52 (49)
▪ Southwest Pierce County: 31 (30)
▪ Spanaway: 91 (88)
▪ Tacoma: 852 (837)
▪ University Place: 113 (109)
▪ Unknown: 26 (no change)
Job search requirement optional through Aug. 1
Updated at 1:25 p.m.
The job search requirement for the unemployed is now optional through Aug. 1. As long as job search requirements are suspended, people may answer “no” to the job search question on your weekly claim.
Typically, people required to look for work and document job search activities in order to remain eligible for unemployment benefits.
As a result of the COVID-19 crisis, the Gov. Jay Inslee, with support from the Legislature, suspended this requirement on March 8 and the suspension has been extended several times since.
Inslee extends Safe Start proclamation
Updated at 9 a.m.
Gov. Jay Inslee on Monday issued a brief extension of the Safe Start proclamation until July 9, in anticipation of additional modifications that will be made early next week.
This proclamation extends all of the provisions of previous versions, and adds new requirements for employers to cooperate with public health authorities in the investigation of COVID-19 cases and outbreaks, implementation of infection control measures, and more.
The governor’s office says updated Safe Start guidance will be issued on Tuesday.
Alaska Airlines secures nearly $1.2 billion in private funding
Updated at 9 a.m.
Alaska Airlines has secured nearly $1.2 billion in private loans to further secure its financial stability and future during the COVID-19 recovery period, while balancing the appropriate amount of liquidity. The debt financing will be funded on or around July 2.
As part of an Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificate offering, Alaska will use 61 of its owned aircraft as collateral to back the debt: 26 Boeing 737-800s, 16 Boeing 737-900ERs and 19 Embraer 175s.
The aircraft will remain encumbered until the debt is repaid: Series A ($966 million) will be repaid by Aug. 15, 2027, and Series B ($208 million) will be repaid by Aug. 15, 2025.
“We’re proud of what our people have built at Alaska. Because of our long-standing commitment to conservative financial management and a strong balance sheet, we were fortunate to see strong demand for our offering,” said Shane Tackett, Alaska’s executive vice president of finance and chief financial officer. “With this financing and the actions we’ve taken to reduce our cash burn rate, we’ve created a liquidity runway that rivals our strongest competitors.”
As part of the Payroll Support Program under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, McGee Air Services, a wholly owned ground services subsidiary of Alaska Airlines that operates independently, has also received nearly $30 million in funding. This is in addition to the $992 million in the form of a $725 million grant and a $267 million loan that Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air jointly received to be exclusively used to pay employee salaries, wages and benefits through Sept. 30.
Sharp increase in COVID-19 in King County driven by younger adults
Updated at 9 a.m.
Public Health — Seattle & King County reported that the daily average number of COVID-19 cases in King County has more than doubled in the past two weeks, from an average of 40 daily cases in mid-June to 87 daily cases the week of June 21.
The target is to have about 39 cases or fewer per day, which would meet the statewide target of fewer than 25 new cases per 100,000 residents over a two-week period. Currently, the rate in King County is 54 new cases per 100,000 residents.
Most of the increase is among younger people. Over half of all new cases are among people aged 20-39. Approximately 40% of cases in this age group over the past two weeks are among Seattle residents.
Infections can spread from this predominantly younger group to older community members and people with underlying health conditions. At this time, there has not been a corresponding increase in hospitalizations or deaths, but these events can take a few weeks longer to occur after infections increase.
“The recent increase in COVID-19 cases is very concerning. Increasing cases and risk for acquiring COVID-19 in our community threatens the hard-earned progress we made during the stay-at-home order. This virus is as smart as ever and we need to be as well – the risk from COVID-19 remains serious,” said Dr. Jeff Duchin, Health Officer for Public Health — Seattle & King County.
“Everyone, especially young adults, needs to double down on COVID-19 prevention in all aspects of our lives immediately, including in social, recreational, workplace and business settings to avoid a rebound in serious illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths.”
80 UW students in frat houses test positive for coronavirus
Updated at 9 a.m.
At least 80 students living in a dozen fraternity houses near the University of Washington campus have reported testing positive for COVID-19, with hundreds of results pending.
The university learned Saturday that three fraternity residents had symptoms of COVID-19, and public health officials noticed a spike in cases among people ages 18 to 20, according to university spokeswoman Michelle Ma. By Tuesday, the university said at least 38 students tested positive, The Seattle Times reported.
Ma said more than 800 students have been tested since Monday in response to the Greek system outbreak. The university expects to have an updated case count early next week.
Experts say the outbreak, along with cases among student athletes, is a troubling sign of what may be in store if colleges reopen in the fall. University of Washington leadership said this week they hope to reopen in-person, with larger classes held virtually, but that plans could change based on the virus’s spread.
Daniel Leifer, a pediatrician studying dermatology at UW, estimates he saw about a dozen parties when walking by Greek Row in recent months. Students stood close together, and masks were nowhere to be seen, he said.
The Interfraternity Council, a student-run governing board, has asked fraternity houses to stop holding social events, Ma said.
Ferries could have extended waits over holiday weekend
Updated at 9 a.m.
Plan and prepare for extended waits if your Fourth of July travel plans include a ferry ride.
Several routes are operating on reduced schedules dependent on the Washington State Ferries’ COVID Response Service Plan. The current schedules are based on four pillars of service — ridership, crew availability, vessel availability and funding.
With more than 100 high-risk employees unavailable due to the pandemic, crewing has been a challenge. Due to a lack of crewmembers needed to meet U.S. Coast Guard safety requirements, there have been further schedule reductions over the past few weekends.
In order to maintain some service on all routes, WSF has reduced its Edmonds/Kingston and Mukilteo/Clinton routes to one-boat weekend service throughout the month of July, including this holiday weekend.
Because of the coronavirus, customers who board a state ferry in a vehicle are strongly encouraged to remain in the vehicle throughout the sailing if possible. To maintain physical-distancing standards, if necessary, WSF will enforce reduced occupancy on sailings for walk-on passengers.
This week, the Washington State Department of Health started encouraging people to limit summer travel plans to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
Jury duty and trials will look a lot different in Pierce County come Monday
Updated at 9 a.m.
Courtrooms and jury duty will look different when Pierce County Superior Court resumes criminal jury trials Monday.
“We’re doing everything we can to make sure that if they come for jury service, they’re going to be safe,” presiding Judge Garold Johnson said this week.
Court officials will take people’s temperatures, masks will be worn and floors and seats will be marked for social distancing in response to the pandemic.
The courthouse won’t be where jurors first report.
About 150 will be called Monday to the Tacoma Armory next to the courthouse, which the court has leased through the end of the year. The County Council allocated about $480,000 of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding for that.
The extra space will allow for social distancing during jury orientation. Then court officials will take groups of 12 to 15 jurors to the courthouse for questioning as part of jury selection.
While some court proceedings have been held remotely or continue to be held in-person, jury trials across the state were suspended earlier this year as a result of the pandemic. A state Supreme Court order allows them to resume next week.
This story was originally published July 2, 2020 at 9:04 AM.
