13 New Coronavirus Cases In Pierce County; 1 More Dead

TACOMA, WA — Pierce County health officials reported 13 new coronavirus cases and one additional death linked to COVID-19 Tuesday afternoon.

Cases reported Tuesday included residents from Frederickson, Lake Tapps/Sumner, Lakewood, Parkland, South Hill, Spanaway, Tacoma and University Place. Health officials said the latest patient to die from complications related to the disease was a Spanaway woman in her 60s with existing health concerns.

Lab tests have confirmed 1,725 illnesses and 63 deaths linked to COVID-19 in Pierce County since early March. Approximately 952 patients are classified as recovered, while 733 cases remain active.

Over the weekend, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department began tracking and reporting illnesses among health care workers, finding at least 17 percent of the county's cases were diagnosed in employees at medical and care facilities.

On the state level, the Department of Health added 208 new coronavirus cases and 17 additional deaths to its count Tuesday, bringing the official tally to 17,330 illnesses and 962 deaths. According to the state data, 6.8 percent of tests have returned positive among 256,321 Washingtonians tested.

Catch up on the latest developments:

Washington farmers will donate 1 million pounds of potatoes to people in need

Amid a sharp decline in global demand for potatoes, Washington farmers are on a mission to donate unsold food directly to those who need help. According to the News Tribune, the Washington State Potato Commission will hand out free bags of potatoes, up to 200,000 pounds, at the Tacoma Dome Thursday.

The event begins at 11 a.m. at the G and F parking lots, and volunteers will load the supplies directly into vehicles.

Earlier this month, the Associated Press reported the pandemic upended Washington's potato industry, which distributes billions of pounds of frozen potatoes across the globe, typically used to make french fries at fast food establishments, bars and sporting events. Plummeting demand has left about 10 percent of last year's crop unsold.

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Washington's contact tracing team ready to deploy by end of week

A trained team of nearly 1,400 contact tracing investigators will be ready to deploy by the end of the week, Gov. Jay Inslee announced Tuesday. Right now, the team is comprised of 351 National Guard members, 390 Department of Licensing staff, and 630 state and local health care professionals. Inslee said the state will work to add more volunteers in the weeks ahead.

Vigorous contact tracing is a key part of Washington's coronavirus recovery plan, allowing for the rapid testing and isolation of people with potential infections, while quickly identifying those who may have come into contact with them.

Inslee said information collected by the tracing teams will only be accessible to public health professionals, and people interviewed by investigators will not be told who may have exposed them to the virus.

Read more about Washington's contact tracing plans here.

Inslee unveils rules for restaurants reopening under phase 2

The governor's office has released an updated set of regulations for restaurants and taverns, as they begin to welcome diners back under the second phase of the Safe Start reopening plan.

Right now, 8 Washington counties with populations below 75,000, and no new coronavirus cases within three weeks, are approved to begin phase 2 early. The rest of the state could begin the second phase by June 1.

Restaurants that offer table dining will be required to keep a daily visitors' log, including contact information for each diner, to aid in contact tracing. Employees will be required to wear face coverings, and tables must be separated by at least six feet or a physical barrier. Indoor dining will be limited to 50 percent of the total occupancy authorized under the fire code.

Read more about the updated rules for restaurants here.

No penalties for construction projects that operated during stay-home order

No enforcement measures were taken against residential construction projects that continued during the governor's moratorium, despite hundreds of complaints the state received, according to the Seattle Times.

The newspaper reports the state never shared complaints with cities and did not take any enforcement actions on its own.

Inslee announced eased restrictions for "low risk" construction projects in late April, allowing for most commercial and residential work to resume with certain precautions.

Read more on the Seattle Times website.

Coronavirus outbreak at Skagit County choir practice called a 'superspreader event'

A report published Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found a Mount Vernon choir rehearsal in early March was a "superspreader event." Public health officials said more than 50 people were infected as a result of the 2 1/2 hour rehearsal, including two patients who later died.

Researchers said the event shows how easily the virus can spread among groups of people in close proximity.

Read more about the new report here.

New coronavirus relief bill could provide a second round of stimulus payments

House Democrats released a $3 trillion proposal for added economic relief, including expansions to food stamp benefits, hazard pay for essential workers, and $1 trillion for states and cities.

Under the "Heroes Act," Americans could see another round of $1,200 payments through the IRS. This time, all dependents would be eligible for payments, expanding relief to many college students who did not qualify under the CARES Act.

The Hill reports the legislation is expected to pass the House Friday. The Congressional Progressive Caucus, which includes Rep. Pramila Jayapal, wrote a letter urging the vote be delayed until next week, so more measures could be included.

Jayapal previously unveiled a plan that would guarantee wages for workers who make up to $100,000 annually, using federal grants to cover payroll for employers of all sizes for at least three months. The legislation unveiled Monday does not include Jayapal's proposal.

Coronavirus cases by city