39 New Coronavirus Cases In Pierce County, No New Deaths

PIERCE COUNTY, WA — The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department reported 39 new cases of the coronavirus Wednesday afternoon. The latest update included no additional deaths linked to the disease.

Wednesday's update represented a higher number of new cases than those reported over the last several days, but the overall trend remains much lower than the peak seen in early April. Patients from Tacoma and Puyallup accounted for the bulk of the new illnesses reported Wednesday.

Lab tests have confirmed 1,591 coronavirus cases among Pierce County residents since March, and 54 people have died. County health officials estimate 756 patients have recovered, while 835 infections remain active.

The Department of Health added 311 cases to its statewide total Wednesday, along with eight additional deaths. According to the latest update, 15,905 illnesses have been confirmed across Washington, and 870 people have died. The overall testing positivity rate remained steady at 7.1%.

Catch up on the latest developments:

Washington cities begin canceling Fourth of July celebrations

Organizers are beginning to cancel popular Fourth of July celebrations this year, citing the state's coronavirus response and phased reopening plan. Under the governor's general timeline for the state's four-step plan, restrictions on large public gatherings are expected to remain in place beyond Independence Day.

In Edmonds, the chamber of commerce said 2020 would mark the first year since World War II that the annual celebration would not take place. The chamber said under Gov. Jay Inslee's "Safe Start" order, it was unlikely large public gatherings would be permitted in time for the holiday. The event typically draws nearly 18,000 people.

The Edmonds Chamber said lost funding from canceling major summer events, potentially including Taste of Edmonds in August, could put the entire organization at-risk for closure.

Lakewood officials announced the city's annual celebration at Fort Steilacoom Park is canceled for the first time in more than two decades. Last year, almost 50,000 people attended SummerFEST.

Other cancellations that have already been announced include celebrations in Carnation and Maple Valley. In Seattle, organizers have yet to announce impacts to Seafair Summer Fourth on Lake Union.

Nordstrom will close 16 stores, restructure to cut expenses

Seattle-based Nordstrom announced the permanent closure of 16 full-line stores as the company grapples with the economic impact of coronavirus closures. Nordstrom has not released a list of which locations will be shuttered.

In a news release, the company said the closures were a result of the ongoing crisis and overall trends pushing more shoppers online. Nordstrom's website accounts for more than half of the company's sales.

Another cost-saving measure includes a restructuring of the corporate organization and support roles, estimated to save about $150 million in expenses. Nordstrom has not detailed what its restructuring plans will look like.

When stores begin to reopen, Nordstrom said additional health precautions would be in place, including employee screenings, free face coverings and a limit on the number of shoppers allowed inside.

Health officials raise the alarm over 'coronavirus parties,' then backtrack

Health officials in Walla Walla County this week said contract tracing uncovered a trend of "coronavirus parties," where some residents ignored health guidance and attempted to catch the virus on purpose to "get it over with."

According to the Associated Press, the county's Department of Community Health reported at least 25 people said they attended such gatherings, and new positive test results were linked to the events.

County officials told the Union-Bulletin that the parties were irresponsible, unacceptable and a clear violation of the governor's stay-at-home order.

Secretary of Health John Wiesman released a statement Wednesday afternoon:

"Gathering in groups in the midst of this pandemic can be incredibly dangerous and puts people at increased risk for hospitalization and even death. Furthermore, it is unknown if people who recover from COVID-19 have long-term protection. There is still a lot we don't know about this virus, including any long-term health issues which may occur after infection. This kind of unnecessary behavious may create a preventable uptick in cases which further slows our state's ability to gradually re-open."

Late Wednesday night, Meghan DeBolt, the county's health director, walked back her comments and told KREM-TV that the parties appeared to be "innocent endeavors." The news outlet reported additional information would be released Thursday.

Washington prepares to reopen national forests and parks

The U.S. Forest Service began a "comprehensive review" of all national forests in Washington, aiming to reopen trailheads and recreational areas to visitors by the end of May, officials said Tuesday.

More than 100 state parks, excluding coastal areas and the Columbia River Gorge, reopened for visitors this week after the governor relaxed rules on outdoor recreation.

Access to most national forests in Oregon and Washington, including Forest Service roads and trails, is open, and hunting and fishing are allowed in most undeveloped areas. Forest Service supervisors are beginning to plan how to safely reopen recreational areas and facilities in phases.

Once they reopen, visitors should be prepared to be self-sufficient, officials said, since visitor centers, restrooms and trash collection will remain unavailable.

The National Park Service is following federal, state and local public health guidance to determine where they can increases access to parks in the weeks ahead.

At Mount Rainier, the park is open to recreation via backcountry access points, but park roads, parking areas and trailheads remain closed. Park staff said many areas of the park are designed for large numbers of visitors in concentrated areas, so reopening them now would result in an "unacceptable level of public health risk for visitors and staff."

You can check each park's status on the NPS website, and read more about the COVID-19 response here.

Under the governor's reopening plan, camping will be restored for small groups during phase 2, which is tentatively set to go into effect June 1.

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