Gig Harbor COVID-19 cases hit 843, with 11 dead; Key Peninsula has 244 and three deaths

Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Gig Harbor reached 843 last week, with 11 deaths, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. The Key Peninsula had 244 cases and three deaths.

As of Sunday, Jan. 3, the total number of confirmed cases in Pierce County had reached 26,351, with 298 deaths.

Pierce County reported 3,634 cases in the 14 days ending Sunday, for a daily average of 259. The 14-day case rate per 100,000 population was 403. The target is fewer than 25.

Neighborhood numbers

As of Sunday, Jan 3, there had been 186 total cases in the North Gig Harbor/Canterwood area (census tract 072505), 122 cases in the Wollochet area (census tract 072408), 93 cases in the Artondale area (census tract 072406), 54 cases in the Forest Beach-Kopachuck area (Census Tract 072405), 61 cases in the Sunrise Beach/Maplewood area (Census Tract 072506), 30 cases in the downtown area (Census Tract 072507) and 53 cases on Fox Island.

Thirty-nine cases have been reported at Heron’s Key, a long-term health facility in the North Gig Harbor area, with three deaths since late November.

On the Key Peninsula, there have been 77 total cases in the Wauna/Purdy area (census tract 072503), 69 in the Vaughn area, (Census Tract 072601), 45 in the mid-Peninsula (Census Tract 072602) and 63 in the Lakebay area (Census Tract 072603), which includes McNeil and Anderson islands.

(Census tract numbers do not add up to the area total of active cases because some patients are presumed recovered.)

School numbers

As of Friday, Jan. 1, The Peninsula School District reported 24 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the schools, 20 of them originating outside the school system.

The district’s “COVID-19 Dashboard” listed five cases at Peninsula High School, three each at Gig Harbor High School, Voyager Elementary School and Goodman Middle School; two each at Purdy Elementary and Artondale Elementary; and one each at Key Peninsula, Kopachuck and Harbor Ridge middle schools; and one each at Harbor Heights and Vaughn elementary schools. There was also a single case at the Educational Service Center. Of the total number of cases, four — three at PHS and one at Goodman — originated on campus.

Three people were in quarantine at Vaughn Elementary School because of close contacts with persons who tested positive. For privacy reasons, the district was unable to say whether they were students or staff.

The Covid Dashboard is online at .psd401.net/schoolreopening/covid-19-dashboard

This story was originally published January 4, 2021 at 5:30 AM.