Pierce County Reports 11 New Coronavirus Cases, No New Deaths

TACOMA, WA — Pierce County health officials reported 11 new coronavirus cases and no new deaths linked to COVID-19 Friday afternoon. The latest cases included residents of Bonney Lake, Lakewood, Parkland, South Hill and Tacoma.

Lab tests have confirmed 1,917 illnesses and 73 deaths linked to COVID-19 in Pierce County since early March. The health department said four deaths were removed from the official count earlier in the week, while it works to determine with more certainty whether the illness directly led the deaths in question.

Approximately 1,400 patients are classified as recovered in Pierce County, while 466 cases remain active. More than 25,200 residents have been tested for the coronavirus, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.

Across the state, the Department of Health added 307 new coronavirus cases and five additional deaths to its count Friday, bringing the official tally to 21,071 illnesses and 1,111 deaths. According to the state data, 6.1 percent of tests have returned positive among 348,233 Washingtonians tested.

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Catch up on the latest developments:

Counties can move forward with reopening applications under new rules Monday

Gov. Jay Inslee's stay-at-home order will be replaced on Monday by an expanded Safe Start plan, allowing for more reopenings on a county-by-county basis. During a news conference Friday, the governor unveiled several new metrics the Department of Health will consider when determining whether each county can move forward.

Pierce and Snohomish, two of Washington's three largest counties, will seek approval for phase 2, allowing for the limited return of in-person service at restaurants, salons, retail stores and other businesses.

King County will instead apply for a modified phase 1 status — a new classification — which will restore more businesses under more strict guidelines. Restaurant dining will be limited to outdoor seating areas, and visits to retail stores will be limited to 30 minutes or less.

Read more: New Reopening Rules For Washington Go Into Effect Monday

Campgrounds prepare to reopen in 22 counties

Campgrounds on Washington State Parks, Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Department of Natural Resources land will reopen to visitors in 22 counties on Monday. All counties with reopened campgrounds are under phase 2 of the state's reopening plan, and four are excluded: San Juan, Island, Clallam and Jefferson counties.

In Pacific County, campground capacity on state parks lands will be limited to 50 percent, and DNR-operated campgrounds will remain closed.

A few closures are slated to remain intact, including group campsites, cabins and yurts.

Read more: Campgrounds To Begin Reopening In 22 Counties

5th Washington child diagnosed with disorder linked to COVID-19

The Yakima Health District announced a child has been diagnosed with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, or MIS -C, a new illness that appears in some children who were previously ill with COVID-19.

According to health experts, the disorder is similar to Kawasaki's disease, with symptoms including inflammation to the heart, lungs, kidneys and other organs. MIS-C is rare, and symptoms can often be minor, but some cases in the U.S. have resulted in serious illness and death.

Parents should immediately seek care if their child shows warning signs including:

• A fever above 100.4 F
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• Confusion
• A rash
• Red, cracked lips
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting

Read more: Yakima Child Diagnosed With Coronavirus-Related Syndrome

New study finds coronavirus did not arrive in the U.S. before January

A new study, released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Friday, found the coronavirus did not arrive on U.S. soil before mid-January.

The Associated Press reports the federal study drew from four categories of data:

• Illnesses reported by hospital emergency departments
• Thousands of respiratory specimens collected in Jan. and Feb.
• Genetic analysis taken from patients in California, Washington and the Northeast
• Autopsy findings in California

Researchers found limited spread in late January and early February but determined those who thought they had the virus in December or early January likely had the flu.

Earlier this month, Snohomish County's top health official acknowledged the possibility the virus arrived before the first known case in the U.S., diagnosed in Washington in January. Dr. Chris Spitters said it was also "clearly false" to suggest that the Snohomish County man was "patient zero" for the virus in the United States, noting multiple different strains of the virus recorded across the nation.

Coronavirus cases by city:

Location	Confirmed Cases	Deaths
Bonney Lake	48	3
Central Pierce County	140	6
East Pierce County	53	3
Edgewood/Fife/Milton	88	9
Frederickson	65	2
Gig Harbor	53	1
Graham	55	0
Key Peninsula	7	1
Lake Tapps/Sumner	48	0
Lakewood	199	5
Parkland	108	2
Puyallup	138	8
South Hill	104	1
South Pierce County	37	0
Southwest Pierce County	21	2
Spanaway	65	4
Tacoma	617	28
University Place	62	2
Unknown	9	0
Total	1,917	73