Coronavirus updates: Report highlights outbreak data; Alaska Airlines strengthens face covering policy
This page includes coronavirus developments around Washington state for Wednesday, August 5.
Updated at 4:50 p.m.
Pierce County on Wednesday reported 56 new COVID-19 cases and no new deaths.
County totals are now 5,278 cases and 119 deaths since the first case in the coronavirus pandemic was recorded March 6.
Daily totals for cases and deaths can change as the county receives new information, finds duplicate data or is assigned cases originally attributed to other counties.
The Tacoma Pierce-County Health Department has reported 1,299 cases in the past 14 days. The 14-day case rate per 100,000 people is 144.2. The average cases per day over the last 14 days is 92.8.
There are an estimated 2,327 still-active cases in the county, according to the health department.
Testing is available at various sites in the county. For more information on local testing sites, go to www.tpchd.org/covidtest.
Wednesday’s geographical case totals are listed below with previous day’s totals in parentheses:
▪ Bonney Lake: 122 (121)
▪ Central Pierce County: 353 (351)
▪ East Pierce County: 142 (139)
▪ Edgewood/Fife/Milton: 208 (205)
▪ Frederickson: 197 (196)
▪ Gig Harbor area: 139 (no change)
▪ Graham: 166 (164)
▪ JBLM: No longer reported
▪ Key Peninsula: 32 (31)
▪ Lake Tapps/Sumner area: 157 (156)
▪ Lakewood: 491 (483)
▪ Parkland: 297 (294)
▪ Puyallup: 331 (329)
▪ South Hill: 276 (277)
▪ South Pierce County: 111 (110)
▪ Southwest Pierce County: 56 (55)
▪ Spanaway: 225 (223)
▪ Tacoma: 1,692 (1,675)
▪ University Place: 229 (no change)
▪ Unknown: 54 (52)
Alaska Airlines strengthens face covering policy
Updated at 9 a.m.
Alaska Airlines announced that all guests must wear a cloth mask or face covering at all times when at the airport or onboard Alaska aircraft.
Effective Aug. 7, all Alaska guests age 2 and older will be required to wear a cloth mask or face covering over their nose and mouth — with no exceptions. If a guest is unwilling or unable to wear a mask for any reason while at the airport, they will not be permitted to travel. If a guest refuses to wear a mask after boarding their flight, they will be suspended from future travel.
“We all need to look out for each other during this health emergency, and the best way we can do that — and prevent the spread of the virus — is to simply wear a mask or face covering when we’re around each other,” said Max Tidwell, Alaska Airlines’ vice president of safety and security. “Safety remains priority number one for Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air. Our tougher policy shows how important this issue is to us and our guests. If you don’t wear a mask, you won’t be flying with us.”
In late June, Alaska empowered its flight attendants to issue a final notice to any guest — in the form of a yellow card handed to them — who repeatedly disregards the requirement to wear a mask while onboard.
Going forward, if a guest chooses not to comply after receiving the yellow card, his or her travel with Alaska will be suspended immediately upon landing. Any remaining portion of the guest’s itinerary will be canceled — including connecting or return flights — along with any future trips the guest has booked. The guest will be provided with a full refund for any unused travel and will be responsible for making their own travel arrangements from that point.
For guests who forget their mask, Alaska will have them available upon request, in addition to providing individual hand-sanitizer wipes on board.
Face coverings must be made from a cloth or other barrier material that prevents the discharge and release of respiratory droplets from a person’s nose or mouth. Unacceptable face coverings include face coverings with direct exhaust valves, face coverings that do not cover a guest’s nose and mouth and face shields without masks.
Alaska will continue to block seats flights through Oct. 31 for physical distancing, while providing the opportunity for families and larger groups to sit near each other if requested. The airline’s “peace of mind” travel policy has been extended through Sept. 8, allowing guests to make adjustments to their travel plans with no change or cancellation fees.
New report highlights outbreak data across the state
Updated at 9 a.m.
The Washington State Department of Heath released a new report that helps illustrate which types of businesses and facilities experience the most COVID-19 outbreak activity.
These state-level data are aggregated from all counties that report data to DOH, and the report contains both healthcare and non-healthcare related data.
These outbreak data are not collected by DOH directly. Local health jurisdictions (LHJ) use information from case interviews and other means, such as voluntarily reports from businesses and facilities, to identify clusters of cases. If an LHJ confirms an outbreak, they report it to DOH.
As of Aug. 1:
▪ A total of 411 non-healthcare associated COVID-19 outbreaks have been reported.
▪ 459 long-term care facility COVID-19 outbreaks have been reported in settings including nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and adult family homes.
▪ A total of 53 non-long-term care healthcare associated COVID-19 outbreaks have been reported in settings including hospitals, outpatient settings (dental clinics, etc.), behavioral health facilities, supported living facilities, home healthcare, dialysis centers, and independent senior living facilities.
The numbers represent outbreaks, not people impacted. DOH will update this report weekly on its COVID-19 page here.
Inslee extends two proclamations related to COVID-19
Updated at 9 a.m.
Gov. Jay Inslee announced the extension of two proclamations in response to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. The extensions were approved by the Legislature in a July 30 letter. Both proclamations are extended to September 1, 2020.
One of the proclamatons protects CARES Act stimulus payments, as well as state and federal unemployment payments, from bank account garnishments for consumer debt.
The second extends the previous waiver/suspension of legal requirements that allows recent dental, dental hygiene and pharmacy graduates to obtain their temporary licenses and begin working if certain conditions are met. It has been amended from the July 31 extension to include denturists to the list of professional graduates who may obtain their temporary licenses.
State reports 664 new cases Tuesday
Updated at 9 a.m.
The Washington State Department of Health on Tuesday reported 664 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 19 additional deaths.
Pierce County reported 80 new cases Tuesday and two new deaths. Pierce County had a total of 119 deaths likely caused by COVID-19 as of Tuesday, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.
Statewide totals from the illness caused by the coronavirus are at 59,379 cases and 1,619 deaths, up from 58,715 cases and 1,600 deaths on Monday.
Data was not complete for several statistics on Tuesday, according to the DOH dashboard.
Forty people with confirmed COVID-19 cases were admitted to Washington state hospitals on Monday, July 27. Late March had two days with 88 people admitted, the highest numbers to date during the pandemic.
Washington state has conducted 1,008,822 coronavirus tests. On July 27, 16,410 specimens were collected statewide, with 5.4% testing positive. The average positive test rate for the seven days prior was 5.6%.
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.
King County continues to have the highest numbers in Washington, with 15,726 cases and 659 deaths. Yakima County has the second highest, with 10,081 cases and 210 deaths.
All counties in Washington have cases. Garfield and Wahkiakum have case counts of less than 10.
On Tuesday, Washington had a 772 per 100,000 people case rate. The national rate is 1,418, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
There had been more than 4.7 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 156,668 deaths from the virus in the United States as of Tuesday, according to Johns Hopkins University. More than 698,000 people have died from the disease worldwide.
Visitors from mainland swamp island swim spot, prompting COVID-wary officials to close it
Updated at 9 a.m.
You’ve all been voted off Anderson Island.
Authorities on the South Sound island have closed its popular beach at Lowell Johnson Park. Visitors to the island, which can only be accessed by ferry from Steilacoom, have overwhelmed the park this summer.
“With temperatures and social distancing fatigue on the rise, the park has become overcrowded,” said Anderson Island Park & Recreation District commissioner Belen Schneider. “AIPRD can no longer ensure compliance with the governor’s Phase 2 safety guidelines.”
Known as “The Ol’ Swimming Hole,” the park is located on the shore of Florence Lake, one of two lakes on the island.
“We’ll reopen the park in Phase 3, but ask people to stay closer to home until then,” Schneider said.
Schneider is concerned about the Anderson Island’s vulnerable population. She said the island has a higher than average percentage of seniors living on it.
The island is a popular subject for travel writers, and it’s steadily grown in popularity over the years, Schneider said.
“It’s a hard but necessary decision,” said commissioner Chuck Hinds. “The last thing we wanted to do was shut down a staple of island summer fun, but we recognize that our responsibility is to keep our community safe. Folks visiting this park also spill over into the ferry lanes, store, café and restaurant, which is a problem during the pandemic.”
This story was originally published August 5, 2020 at 8:57 AM.
