Pierce County COVID-19 case rate shows uptick since mid-month, health experts say
Pierce County reported 128 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday, with one additional death.
The latest death involved a Bonney Lake man in his 60s.
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department no longer assigns underlying condition status to individual deaths it reports and instead counts underlying conditions as part of a percentage of the total number of deaths, which as of March 23 was 73.6 percent.
The county’s totals are now 38,365 cases and 500 deaths since the first confirmed coronavirus case was reported in March 2020.
The 14-day case rate per 100,000 is 138.5, with six-day data lag. That data point offers the most reliable look at COVID-19 disease burden in Pierce County, according to health officials.
Since March 14, the case rate per 100,000 has risen 24 percent, according to the health department.
An estimated 3,400 cases remain active in the county, down from 7,200 estimated Feb. 1.
Testing is available at various places. More information on testing is available on the health department’s website.
GEOGRAPHIC TOTALS
Wednesday’s cumulative geographic totals with previous day’s totals in parentheses:
▪ Bonney Lake: 1,034 (1,031)
▪ Central Pierce County: 1,759 (1,752)
▪ East Pierce County: 1,715 (1,702)
▪ Edgewood/Fife/Milton: 1,539 (1,534)
▪ Frederickson: 1,394 (1,392)
▪ Gig Harbor area: 1,212 (1,204)
▪ Graham: 1,279 (1,274)
▪ JBLM: No longer reported
▪ Key Peninsula: 353 (352)
▪ Lake Tapps/Sumner area: 1,393 (1,382)
▪ Lakewood: 3,157 (3,150)
▪ Parkland: 1,920 (1,913)
▪ Puyallup: 2,221 (2,213)
▪ South Hill: 2,165 (2,161)
▪ South Pierce County: 1,241 (1,235)
▪ Southwest Pierce County: 559 (558)
▪ Spanaway: 1,807 (1,801)
▪ Tacoma: 10,729 (10,705)
▪ University Place: 1,249 (1,244)
▪ Unknown: 1,639 (1,634)
VACCINES
As of March 24:
▪ About 289,019 total doses given in Pierce County, according to the local health department’s data dashboard.
Among county residents, 20.27 percent of the population has initiated vaccination, and 12 percent are fully vaccinated, according to state DOH.
Nearly 60 percent of those 65 and older has received one dose of the vaccine.
More than 2.8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been given throughout the state, and 84.9 percent of all doses received in the state has been administered. The current seven-day average is 46,103 vaccines a day, compared to the goal of achieving 45,000 per day. About 24.16 percent of the state population has initiated vaccination, with 13.83 percent fully vaccinated.
As of March 17, the state has opened vaccines for those in Phase 1B Tier 2, including high-risk critical workers who work in certain congregate settings: agriculture; fishing vessel crews; food processing; grocery stores; corrections; prisons, jails or detention centers; public transit; remaining first responders. Also included: People 16 years or older who are pregnant or have a disability that puts them at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness.
You can go to FindYourPhaseWA.org to check eligibility. Go to tpchd.org/vaxtothefuture for information on local sites offering vaccines. Or, go to the state’s vaccine finder: vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov.
▪ The health department’s call center to help those eligible now for vaccines is 253-649-1412.
▪ Pierce County has launched a call center to help those searching for vaccines. Residents who qualify within the WA State Phase Finder and cannot sign up for an event, can contact the call center at 253-798-8900 or email pcvaccine@piercountywa.gov for help.
PHASE 3
All counties in the state moved to Phase 3 in the state’s reopening plan as of March 22. Counties will be re-evaluated individually every three weeks with the next metrics released April 12.
Pierce County must meet two metrics to remain in Phase 3:
▪ Fewer than 200 new cases per 100,000 over two weeks
▪ Fewer than five new hospitalizations per 100,000 over one week.
Additionally, if the statewide intensive care unit capacity reaches greater than 90 percent, all counties will revert to Phase 1.
In the new plan, the county will no longer be a part of the 3-county Puget Sound Region with King and Snohomish counties.
This story was originally published March 24, 2021 at 2:27 PM.
