Pierce County passes grim milestone: COVID-19 case rate now ‘the highest it’s been’

The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department reported 273 COVID-19 cases on Monday and four new deaths.

The health department also confirmed 668 COVID-19 cases over the weekend, with 326 cases on Saturday and 342 cases on Sunday.

Pierce County’s 14-day case rate per 100,000 was 529.3 as of Aug. 23, up from 508.8 as of Aug. 18.

“Our case rate is now the highest it’s been during the pandemic and we passed 60,000 total cases,” TPCHD stated in its Monday update. “We’re also seeing high rates of serious illness. Our hospitalization rate is close to its peak, and four deaths is four too many. Please get vaccinated if you haven’t, mask up, and take every step you can to protect your family and community.”

The four new deaths reported include:

• A woman in her 80s from Key Peninsula.
• A man in his 70s from South Hill.
• A woman in her 50s from Bonney Lake.
• A man in his 100s from Central Pierce County.

On Monday, the department reassigned two previously reported COVID-19 deaths to other counties, making Pierce County’s totals 60,015 cases and 646 deaths since the first confirmed coronavirus case was reported in March 2020.

Pierce County’s hospitalization rate is currently 11.1 per 100,000.

In Pierce County, 59.9 percent of the population 12 and older has initiated vaccination, and 53.6 percent is fully vaccinated, according to state Department of Health.

Statewide, 69.6 percent of the population 12 and older has initiated vaccination, and 63.3 percent is fully vaccinated.

On Monday, a statewide indoor mask mandate went into effect for all individuals ages 5 and up, regardless of vaccination status. The action by Gov. Jay Inslee was in response to increasing rates of hospitalizations and cases of COVID-19 across the state.

This story was originally published August 23, 2021 at 2:39 PM.