Coronavirus updates: Outbreak reported at state hospital; Alaska Airlines introduces touch-free travel
Updated at 2:30 p.m.
Pierce County on Tuesday reported 30 new COVID-19 cases and one new death.
The new death reported Tuesday involved a Tacoma woman in her 90s with underlying health conditions.
The lower total for Tuesday follows Monday’s even lower one-day case count, which was the lowest in single-day new cases since June 28, when 19 new cases were reported.
In recent weeks, the single-day totals have spiked past 50 or more, peaking with 120 new cases on Aug. 5.
County totals are now at 6,485 cases and 144 deaths since the first case in the coronavirus pandemic was recorded March 6.
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department has reported 771 cases in the past 14 days. The 14-day case rate per 100,000 people is 85.5. The goal for counties in Phase 2 is 25 or fewer per 100,000.
The average cases per day over the past 14 days is 55.1.
There are an estimated 1,913 still-active cases in the county, according to the health department.
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.
Testing is available at various sites in the county. For more information on testing sites, go to www.tpchd.org/covidtest.
Tuesday’s geographical case totals are listed below with previous day’s totals in parentheses:
▪ Bonney Lake: 167 (166)
▪ Central Pierce County: 394 (395)
▪ East Pierce County: 190 (185)
▪ Edgewood/Fife/Milton: 265 (263)
▪ Frederickson: 243 (no change)
▪ Gig Harbor area: 170 (168)
▪ Graham: 219 (217)
▪ JBLM: No longer reported
▪ Key Peninsula: 44 (no change)
▪ Lake Tapps/Sumner area: 209 (208)
▪ Lakewood: 598 (599)
▪ Parkland: 352 (no change)
▪ Puyallup: 385 (no change)
▪ South Hill: 344 (343)
▪ South Pierce County: 156 (155)
▪ Southwest Pierce County: 69 (no change)
▪ Spanaway: 305 (303)
▪ Tacoma: 2,035 (2,024)
▪ University Place: 265 (264)
▪ Unknown: 75 (78)
Washington state reports 359 new cases Monday
Updated at 8:45 a.m.
The Washington State Department of Health on Monday reported 359 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and four deaths.
Pierce County reported 23 cases Monday and one new death. Pierce County had a total of 143 deaths likely caused by COVID-19 as of Monday, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.
Statewide totals from the illness caused by the coronavirus are at 71,371 cases and 1,867 deaths, up from 71,012 cases and 1,863 deaths Sunday.
Thirty people with confirmed COVID-19 cases were admitted to Washington state hospitals on Aug. 16, the most recent date with complete data. Late March had two days with 88 people admitted, the highest numbers to date during the pandemic.
King County continues to have the highest numbers in Washington, with 18,797 cases and 716 deaths. Yakima County is second, with 10,830 cases and 235 deaths. Pierce is third with cases at 6,564.
All counties in Washington have cases. Garfield and Wahkiakum have case counts of fewer than 10.
On Monday, Washington had a 942-per-100,000-people case rate. The national rate is 1,734, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Louisiana has the highest rate in the United States at 3,068. Vermont is lowest at 249.
There had been nearly 5.7 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 177,179 deaths from the virus in the United States as of Monday evening, according to Johns Hopkins University. More than 810,000 people have died from the disease worldwide.
Alaska Airlines introduces touch-free travel
Updated at 8:45 a.m.
Alaska Airlines is creating less contact among guests and employees during travel.
Over the coming weeks, new touch-free options for Alaska guests and employees will include the ability:
▪ To pre-order meals and purchase food and beverages on board using a stored credit card (pending return of food and beverage for purchase in main cabin).
▪ To print bag tags without having to touch check-in kiosks.
▪ For agents to scan boarding passes up to six feet away while boarding.
▪ To receive a text message instead of a printed boarding pass if guests don’t already have the Alaska Airlines mobile app.
▪ To get an emailed receipt for baggage instead of printed receipt.
The Alaska Airlines Android and iPhone mobile app still allows guests to check in for their flight, generate a mobile boarding pass, change seats and prepay for bags. Guests can also stay up to date on their flight status, gate changes and boarding notifications.
About 30 virus cases reported at Washington state hospital
Updated at 8:45 a.m.
More than 30 positive confirmed cases of the coronavirus have been reported from St. Michael Medical Center in Bremerton, located across Puget Sound from Seattle.
The estimate was initially reported on Friday in a statement from the Kitsap Public Health District and the Washington State Department of Health.
The outbreak affected multiple units at the 260-bed hospital and patients who had stayed earlier in those units have been notified, The Seattle Times reported.
Officials were still trying over the weekend to come up with a more precise number of confirmed infection cases at the hospital.
“We did not release a specific case number Friday because reports were still coming in from the hospital on Friday afternoon and case investigations were ongoing,” said Tad Sooter, spokesperson for Kitsap Public Health District. “The situation has been changing rapidly.”
St. Michael in a statement on its website said the hospital was “working closely with the state health department and Kitsap Public Health and performing contact tracing and ongoing testing.”
Free face masks available at King County Safeway locations; King County free mask event in Issaquah on Tuesday
Updated at 8:45 a.m.
As of Monday, customers at King County locations of Safeway can take home free face masks with their groceries with a new partnership between King County, Safeway and UFCW Local 21. King County is also hosting a free mask distribution event in Issaquah on Tuesday.
King County purchased more than 25 million face masks for county residents, and to date has distributed more than 14 million reusable and disposable masks through direct distribution and partnerships with local chambers of commerce and other community organizations.
Customers at any of the 59 Safeway locations in King County can obtain two free reusable masks per person in their household, for up to 12 masks total, while at the check stand. Disposable masks will also be available for customers who may have forgotten or misplaced their masks at all stores. All told Safeway will help distribute 750,000 face masks provided by King County.
King County will also host a free mask distribution on Tuesday in Issaquah. Each resident can receive two reusable cloth masks, and each vehicle can obtain masks for up to six household members, or 12 masks per vehicle.
The masks will be distributed at Pickering Barn located at 1730 10th Ave NW, Issaquah, WA 98027 from 1-5 p.m. You must be a King County resident to be eligible to receive masks at this event.
This story was originally published August 25, 2020 at 8:49 AM.
