Downward COVID-19 trend continues, with few cases added in Gig Harbor and Key Peninsula
As the coronavirus infection rate continues to slow across Pierce County, confirmed COVID-19 cases in Gig Harbor reached 1,186 this week, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. That’s only 20 cases more than last week. The Key Peninsula had 340 cases, an increase of only seven.
Since the pandemic began in March, there have been 23 deaths in the Gig Harbor area and three on the Key Peninsula.
As of Friday, March 19, the total number of confirmed cases in Pierce County had reached 37,849 with 499 deaths. The trend is downward, with the 14-day case rate dropping from a high of 549 on Dec. 20 to 130 on March 19.
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department is listing a state prison and two Gig Harbor care facilities as “active outbreak facilities.” They are Tahoma Associates Gig Harbor Group Home, 6520 Soundview Dr., with 29 active cases in the last 30 days, and Olympic Altzheimer’s Residence, 3025 14th Ave. NW, with 40 cases. The Washington Corrections Center for Women, 9601 Bujacich Rd., had 18 reported cases.
Neighborhood numbers
Here are neighborhood totals as of Friday, March 19. The numbers are cumulative since March, and include many persons who have since recovered.
▪ North Gig Harbor/Canterwood (census tract 072505) 252
▪ Wollochet (census tract 072408) 152
▪ Artondale (census tract 072406) 142
▪ Forest Beach-Kopachuck (census tract 072405) 94
▪ Sunrise Beach/Maplewood (census tract 072506) 74
▪ Fox Island (census tract 072410) 69
▪ Bayview (census tract 072409) 68
▪ Downtown (census tract 072507) 53
Key Peninsula
▪ Wauna/Purdy (census tract 072503) 103
▪ Vaughn area (census tract 072601) 102
▪ Mid-Peninsula (census tract 072602) 69
▪ Lakebay area, including McNeil and Anderson islands. (census tract 072603) 86
(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, March 19, The Peninsula School District has reported a cumulative total of 46 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the schools, 41 of them originating outside the school system. The district’s “COVID-19 Dashboard” lists the following case totals:
▪ Educational Service Center: 8
▪ Peninsula High School: 7
▪ Voyager Elementary School: 5
▪ Artondale Elementary School, Goodman Middle School and Gig Harbor High School, 4 each.
▪ Purdy, Pioneer, Evergreen and Harbor Heights elementary schools; Harbor Ridge Middle School: 2 each.
▪ Key Peninsula and Kopachuck middle schools, Vaughn Elementary School: 1 each.
Nine individuals were in quarantine after having been in close contact with infected persons: three at Artondale, two at Evergreen and one each at Voyager, Harbor Ridge, Key Peninsula and Gig Harbor High. Due to privacy regulations, the district was unable to say whether they were staff or students.
The Covid Dashboard is online at .psd401.net/schoolreopening/covid-19-dashboard
Find a current list of locations where you can access vaccine at www.tpchd.org/vaxtothefuture.