14 New Coronavirus Cases In Pierce County; No New Deaths

TACOMA, WA — Pierce County health officials reported 14 new coronavirus cases Saturday, but no additional deaths linked to COVID-19.

Lab tests have confirmed 1,851 illnesses and 73 deaths linked to COVID-19 in Pierce County since early March. Approximately 1,200 patients are classified as recovered, while 543 cases remain active. More than 22,900 residents have been tested for the coronavirus, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.

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7 more Washington counties move to second reopening phase

Cowlitz, Grant, Island, Jefferson, Mason, Pacific and San Juan counties were all approved to enter the second stage of Gov. Jay Inslee's Safe Start reopening Plan, officials announced Saturday.

Now, 21 counties have entered the second phase, which allows for restaurants, retail stores, salons and other businesses to resume limited in-person services, with several added health precautions.

Earlier this month, Washington's secretary of health provided a tentative timeline of June 1 for the rest of the state to reach phase 2. On Friday, Inslee reiterated that any decision will be based on evolving data, and some counties will not be ready to move forward until a later date.

"Counties that continue to have large numbers of infections are not in a position to open up stores, restaurants and services safely," Inslee said.

Two dozen cases tied to Spokane pasta factory

A coronavirus outbreak at the Philadelphia Macaroni Company in Spokane has sickened 24 employees, among the 31 new cases of COVID-19 that the county reported within two days, the Spokesman-Review reported.

The factory has shut down, tested all its employees and disinfected its facility following the outbreak. Until this point, Spokane County had reported no more than five COVID-19 cases each day this month, the Spokesman-Review reported. Spokane was among four counties allowed Friday to move into phase 2 of the state's reopening plan.

Issaquah man accused of stealing millions from CARES Act

Federal prosecutors have charged an Issaquah software engineer with wire and bank fraud, alleging he used falsified documents to seek coronavirus relief loans from the Small Business Administration.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Baoke Zhang, 35, claimed fictitious payroll expenses for information technology companies that did not exist. Prosecutors said Zhang provided two different lenders with forged documents showing 25 employees on his payroll.

Under the CARES Act, passed by Congress in late March, small businesses are eligible to claim assistance from a $349 billion fund to pay employees and maintain other business-related expenses.

Zhang was formally charged in a federal complaint unsealed Friday afternoon and has not been convicted of the crime. The U.S. Attorney's Office will prosecute the case before a federal judge in Seattle.

Patch staffer Lucas Combos contributed to this report.