Slight leveling in COVID-19 numbers; Gig Harbor total now 1,426, Key Peninsula 379.
The rate of new COVID-19 cases continued high in Pierce County last week, although there was a slight downward trend in the curve. The total in Gig Harbor reached 1,428 cases, 125 more since the previous week, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. The Key Peninsula had 379 cases, an increase of 21.
Since the pandemic began in March, there have been 25 deaths in the Gig Harbor area and four on the Key Peninsula.
As of Wednesday, May 7, the total number of confirmed cases in Pierce County had reached 45,624 with 535 deaths. The trend is slightly down from the “fourth surge” peak in April, with the daily case rate falling from 275 on April 23 to 199 on May 6. The pandemic high was 549 on Dec. 20.
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department the Washington Corrections Center for Women, 9601 Bujacich Rd. as an “active outbreak facility,” with 80 reported cases. Two Gig Harbor nursing homes were removed from the list as their case rates fell.
Neighborhood numbers
Here are neighborhood totals as of Wednesday, April 14.. The numbers are cumulative since March, and include many persons who have since recovered. TPCHD is now updating these numbers only once a week, on Wednesdays.
▪ North Gig Harbor/Canterwood (census tract 072505) 280
▪ Wollochet (census tract 072408) 194
▪ Artondale (census tract 072406) 170
▪ Forest Beach-Kopachuck (census tract 072405) 122
▪ Sunrise Beach/Maplewood (census tract 072506) 86
▪ Bayview (census tract 072409) 85
▪ Fox Island (census tract 072410) 81
▪ Downtown (census tract 072507) 62
Key Peninsula
▪ Vaughn area (census tract 072601) 123
▪ Wauna/Purdy (census tract 072503) 118
▪ Mid-Peninsula (census tract 072602) 77
▪ Lakebay area, including McNeil and Anderson islands. (census tract 072603) 102
(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, April 16, The Peninsula School District has reported a cumulative total of 96 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the schools, 87 of them originating outside the school system. The district’s “COVID-19 Dashboard” lists the following case totals:
▪ Gig Harbor High School : 15
▪ Peninsula High School: 14
▪ Educational Service Center: 11
▪ Purdy, Voyager and Evergreen elementary schools: 7 each
▪ Artondale Elementary: 6,
▪ Goodman Middle School: 5
▪ Minter Creek Elementary, Pioneer Elementary, Key Peninsula Middle School and Kopachuck Middle School: 4 each
▪ Harbor Ridge Middle School and Harbor Heights Elementary: 3 each
▪ Discovery Elementary: 2
Twenty-five individuals were in quarantine after having been in close contact with infected persons: 12 at Discovery Elementary, seven at Gig Harbor High School, four at Pioneer Elementary, one at Key Peninsula Middle School and one at the Educational Service Center. 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. For help finding a place to get the COVID-19 vaccine, go to the state’s Vaccine Locator website. Those who need further help can call the COVID-19 Information Hotline at 1-800-525-0127, then press #. Language assistance is available.
This story was originally published May 10, 2021 at 5:30 AM.