Coronavirus

Daily number of new COVID-19 cases in Pierce County remains in triple digits

Pierce County reported 382 new COVID-19 cases Friday and no new deaths.

The county’s totals are 59,076 cases and 644 deaths since the first confirmed coronavirus case was reported in March 2020.

Pierce County’s 14-day case rate per 100,000 was 508.8 as of Aug. 18, up from 379.6 as of Aug. 12.

New hospitalizations per 100,000 over seven days for Pierce County is on an upward swing at 10.7. The state rate is 10.4.

Test positivity was at 18.5 percent the week of Aug. 1-7 with the number of tests up over the previous week. The positivity rate for the county was lowest the week of June 13, when it hit 2.2 percent.

According to the state in its vaccination report of Aug. 18:

93.7 percent of COVID-19 cases from Feb. 1, 2021 – Aug. 10, 2021 were not fully vaccinated.

94.5 percent of COVID-19 cases who were hospitalized from Feb. 1, 2021 – Aug. 3, 2021 were not fully vaccinated.

92.9 percent of COVID-19 cases who died from COVID-19 from Feb. 1, 2021 – July 20, 2021 were not fully vaccinated.

More than 94.3 percent of all cases, hospitalizations and deaths in individuals 12 years or older from Washington state can be attributed to individuals who have not been fully vaccinated.

In Pierce County, 96 percent of all cases between February and July involved those not fully vaccinated.

The state updates its report of unvaccinated cases once a week.

The county lists a total of 250 cases related to business outbreaks, up from 201 cases last week. Industries listed include child care, construction food service/restaurant, grocery, K-12 school, leisure/hospitality, manufacturing, office and outpatient medical/dental, public safety, retail and shipping/delivery.

More information on testing is available on the health department’s website.

GEOGRAPHIC TOTALS

Friday’s cumulative geographic totals with Aug. 16 totals in parentheses:

▪ Bonney Lake: 1,812 (1,740)

▪ Central Pierce County: 2,639 (2,584)

▪ East Pierce County: 2,894 (2,812)

▪ Edgewood/Fife/Milton: 2,354 (2,281)

▪ Frederickson: 2,283 (2,244)

▪ Gig Harbor area: 1,835 (1,776)

▪ Graham: 2,074 (2,012)

▪ JBLM: No longer reported

▪ Key Peninsula: 544 (522)

▪ Lake Tapps/Sumner area: 2,308 (2,248)

▪ Lakewood: 4,549 (4,488)

▪ Parkland: 2,728 (2,682)

▪ Puyallup: 3,301 (3,223)

▪ South Hill: 3,503 (3,434)

▪ South Pierce County: 2,122 (2,070)

▪ Southwest Pierce County: 840 (830)

▪ Spanaway: 2,770 (2,706)

▪ Tacoma: 15,336 (15,083)

▪ University Place: 1,769 (1,746)

▪ Unknown: 3,415 (3,272)

VACCINES

In the county, 59.6 percent of the population 12 and older has initiated vaccination, and 53.3 percent is fully vaccinated, according to state Department of Health.

Among those 12 and older statewide, 71.5 percent has initiated vaccination, and 63.1 percent is fully vaccinated.

You can view vaccine participation by census tract on the local health department’s website.

Go to tpchd.org/vaxtothefuture or the county’s FindYourCovidShot.com website for information on local places offering vaccines and for vaccine registration. Walk-up vaccine sites run by the county and most TPCHD events now no longer require an appointment, and all TPCHD events are for first or second doses. Anyone age 12 or older is eligible for the Pfizer vaccine. Those younger than 18 need parent or guardian approval. Locations of individual vaccine sites also can be found on the state’s vaccine finder: vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov.

The health department’s call center to help those seeking vaccines is 253-649-1412.

Pierce County also has a call center to help those searching for vaccines. Residents who need assistance signing up for an event can contact the call center at 253-798-8900 or email pcvaccine@piercountywa.gov for help.

Debbie Cockrell
The News Tribune
Debbie Cockrell has been with The News Tribune since 2009. She reports on business and development, local and regional issues. 
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