Coronavirus updates: State reaches 103,500 cases
Updated at 9:15 a.m.
The Washington state Department of Health reported Monday 587 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 25 deaths since Friday.
Pierce County reported 64 cases Monday and two new deaths. Pierce County has a total of 191 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 103,500, cases and 2,321 deaths, up from 102,913 cases Sunday and 2,296 deaths Friday. Washington’s population is estimated at about 7.6 million, according to U.S. Census figures from July 2019.
Twenty-eight people with confirmed COVID-19 cases were admitted to Washington state hospitals on Oct. 7, the most recent date with complete data. Average daily hospitalizations peaked in early April at 78.
On Oct. 15, the most recent date with complete data, 17,767 specimens were collected statewide, with 4.1% testing positive. The average positive test rate for the seven days prior was 3.7%. More than 2.3 million tests have been conducted in Washington.
The test numbers reflect only polymerase chain reaction tests, which are administered while the virus is presumably still active in the body.
King County continues to have the highest numbers in Washington, with 26,519 cases and 809 deaths. Yakima County is second, with 11,852 cases and 271 deaths. Pierce is third with cases at 9,971, according to the state’s tally.
All counties in Washington have cases. Eight counties have case counts of fewer than 100.
For the past seven days, Washington had a case rate of 8.9-per-100,000-people. The national rate for the same period is 21.1, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. North Dakota has the highest rate in the United States at 105.3. Vermont is the lowest at 3.1.
There have been more than 8.6 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 225,580 deaths from the virus in the United States as of Monday afternoon, according to Johns Hopkins University.
The United States has the highest number of reported cases and deaths of any nation. More than 1.1 million people have died from the disease worldwide. Global cases exceed 43 million.
Case count grows in COVID-19 outbreak at Tacoma hospital
Updated at 9:15 a.m.
CHI Franciscan on Monday reported that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma has grown.
The Tacoma-based health system said it is continuing to work with the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department in its investigation.
“There are currently seven employees and four patients who have tested positive. Public health investigations are underway to identify the root of possible transmission and connections between cases,” the health system said Monday evening.
“More than 1,000 employees have been tested out of an abundance of caution, and 834 results have been received as of October 26. We are working closely with public health and will follow their guidance regarding ongoing employee testing protocols.”
It added that all rooms on the seventh floor, the epicenter of the investigation, have been deep cleaned.
The first COVID-19 cases involved in the current investigation were first reported Oct. 22. At that time, two patients and one worker were reported to be infected.
The health system said all of the patients involved so far tested negative initially, then later tested positive. Suspected and confirmed COVID patients are placed in isolation, according to the health system.
The hospital is currently restricting new admissions and visitors on the seventh floor.
“Some currently scheduled in-patient procedures may be postponed if it is medically safe to do so,” the health system said.
CHI Franciscan has faced recent outbreaks at other facilities in its system, including St. Michael Medical Center and Franciscan Medical Group Cardiothoracic clinic, both in Kitsap County, and St. Anthony Hospital in Gig Harbor.
Software developer pleads guilty to COVID-19 fraud scheme
Updated at 9:15 a.m.
A Seattle man has pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud for carrying out a scheme to defraud several COVID-19 relief programs, according to federal prosecutors.
Baoke Zhang, 35, of Issaquah, Washington, pleaded guilty last week in federal court in Seattle. He admitted that he submitted four fake applications to three different lenders for forgivable loans under the Paycheck Protection Program, which provides payroll help to small businesses, prosecutors said.
To support the loan applications, Zhang used fake entities for which he created fake payroll and tax records, prosecutors said. Two of the fake loan applications sought $600,000 each, a third application sought $325,000, and a fourth sought approximately $41,000.
Zhang also sent in fake applications to two non-profit organizations that give grants to restaurant workers suffering economic hardship due to the pandemic.
Zhang also admitted that he submitted a fraudulent application to a multinational technology company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, that was providing grants to qualifying small businesses in the Seattle area.
He falsely claimed in his application that he ran a small business in a local shopping center that had suffered economically due to the pandemic. However, Zhang did not own any businesses. Zhang obtained $5,000 from the relief program before his fraud was detected, prosecutors said.
In total, Zhang admitted to attempting to defraud the various COVID-19 relief programs of more than $550,000, prosecutors said.
Immigrant workers affected by COVID-19 now can apply to the state for relief money
Updated at 9:15 a.m.
The $40 million Washington COVID-19 Immigrant Relief Fund is now accepting applications until Dec. 6.
The governor’s press release Wednesday said the $40 million is “federal funds allocated by the state to assist Washington workers who miss work due to COVID-19, but are unable to access federal stimulus programs and other social supports due to their immigration status. While the fund is operational, eligible recipients will receive $1,000, with a limit of $3,000 per household.”
“Immigrant workers are critical to communities throughout the state and are the backbone of our economy,” Gov. Jay Inslee said when he announced the program earlier this year. “The pandemic continues to impact all aspects of life for Washingtonians, and we need to remain steadfast in our support of those bearing the greatest burden.”
Applications opened Wednesday at immigrantreliefwa.org, and benefits will go out by Dec. 28.
This story was originally published October 27, 2020 at 9:23 AM.
