Coronavirus In Pierce County: 10 New Cases, 1 Additional Death

TACOMA, WA — Pierce County health officials reported 10 new coronavirus cases and one additional death linked to COVID-19 Wednesday afternoon.

The new cases reported Tuesday included residents in Lakewood, Parkland and Puyallup.

Health officials said the latest patient to die from complications related to the disease was a Puyallup woman in her 60s with pre-existing health concerns.

Lab tests have confirmed 1,830 illnesses and 71 deaths linked to COVID-19 in Pierce County since early March. Approximately 1,200 patients are classified as recovered, while 588 cases remain active. Nearly 22,000 residents have been tested for the coronavirus, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.

Across the state, the Department of Health added 160 new coronavirus cases and six additional deaths to its count Wednesday, bringing the official tally to 18,971 illnesses and 1,037 deaths. According to the state data, 6.4 percent of tests have returned positive among 297,942 Washingtonians tested.

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Catch up on the latest developments:

Tacoma receives 70,000 masks from sister city

City officials on Wednesday announced the delivery of 70,000 disposable medical masks donated from Fuzhou, China, one of its sister cities and the capital of the Fujian province.

Tacoma said the donation was sizable enough to allow them to stockpile some masks for later use if the virus returns in the fall or winter.

In February, before the pandemic spread across America, Tacoma sent 15,000 medical masks to its sister city and raised more than $1,200 to assist in coronavirus efforts in the Fuzhou province.

In a statement released Wednesday, Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards thanked Fuzhou for its donation, acknowledging the long-running connection between the two cities, dating back to the 1800s.

"Our relationship with Fuzhou, the ancestral home of man Chinese-Americans who settled in the Pacific Northwest in the 19th century, has been deep and enduring, and I look forward to the day when I can again share my appreciation with them in person," Woodards said.

Read more about the donation here.

Washington expands contact tracing efforts

More than 2,100 people have completed training to conduct contact tracing investigations for new coronavirus cases, the state Department of Health announced Wednesday.

Investigators include more than 700 members from the National Guard and the Department of Licensing, joined by 630 public health professionals from state and local agencies.

During a news conference Wednesday morning, the state reiterated that participation is voluntary and all interviews will be conducted over the phone. Officials said data is stored on secure servers and only accessible by public health professionals to track the virus's spread.

Read more about contact tracing in Washington here.

Seafair organizers cancel all major summer events

Several of the Seattle region's most popular summer events will not take place this year, due to continued precautions and uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus. Seafair organizers announced the cancellation of six major events Wednesday, including annual Fourth of July celebrations, the hydroplane races and the Blue Angels air show.

Ticketholders can expect an e-mail from Seafair regarding their options for tickets already purchased for this year's events, according to a notice posted on their website. Organizers said all events will resume in 2021, and the Blue Angels have already committed to returning to the skies over Lake Washington next August.

Read more about the canceled events here.

Washington reports record unemployment rate in April

Washington's economy lost at least 527,000 jobs last month, as the state's overall unemployment rate skyrocketed to 15.4 percent, according to the Employment Security Department.

The Associated Press reports the department's commissioner expects losses to continue through May before making a gradual rebound as more sectors of the state's economy begin to reopen in the months ahead.

Weekly figures on jobless claims in Washington are scheduled to be released Thursday.

Read more about unemployment in Washington here.

Troopers link rise in motorcycle deaths with an uptick in speeding

The Washington State Patrol is voicing safety concerns after a spike in motorcycle-related deaths on state roads in April. According to state troopers, 12 of Washington's 17 fatal motorcycle crashes happened last month, coinciding with a rise in reckless driving noted since traffic volumes plummeted in the wake of stay-at-home orders.

Troopers have repeatedly noted excessive speeds on state roadways since the coronavirus crisis began, including one vehicle that was clocked traveling at speeds nearing 200 mph.

The state patrol said risks are especially high to motorcyclists, whose vehicles lack the same safety features as cars and trucks.

Read more about the rising traffic deaths in Washington here.

Coronavirus cases by city:

Location	Confirmed Cases	Deaths
Bonney Lake	44	2
Central Pierce County	132	6
East Pierce County	49	2
Edgewood/Fife/Milton	87	9
Frederickson	64	2
Gig Harbor	52	1
Graham	54	0
Key Peninsula	7	1
Lake Tapps/Sumner	46	0
Lakewood	189	5
Parkland	102	2
Puyallup	132	8
South Hill	100	1
South Pierce County	38	0
Southwest Pierce County	21	2
Spanaway	63	4
Tacoma	583	25
University Place	59	1
Unknown	8	0
Total	1,830	71