Pierce County Reports Just 5 New Coronavirus Cases

PIERCE COUNTY, WA — Health officials with Pierce County reported just 5 new cases of the coronavirus Wednesday and no new deaths.

Wednesday's new cases were reported in Gig Harbor, Parkland, Spanaway and Tacoma.

The new numbers bring the total case count to 1,730 confirmed infections and 63 deaths. Across the county roughly 18,954 people have been tested for the virus, meaning about 8.4 percent of those tests come back positive. That puts Pierce above average: statewide 243,568 people have been tested and 7 percent of tests come back positive.

Pierce County's zero deaths contributed to a reduced death toll statewide. State health officials reported 13 new deaths and 182 confirmed cases of the virus Wednesday. As of the last report, 365 coronavirus patients in the state have been hospitalized for treatment, of those 111 are in the ICU for extreme cases.

Police warn of contact tracing scams

Tuesday Washington announced a contact tracing program that will track the virus by interviewing and gathering data from coronavirus patients and all the people those patients may have exposed the virus to. However, scammers have already started posing as contact tracing experts to try and steal personal information.

According to Olympia Police, the scammers are reportedly trying to gather sensitive information that legitimate investigators would never need. They're urging Washingtonians to ignore any suspicious links sent through text message.

The state says that genuine contact tracing interviewers will only ask questions from a pre-approved template, including the patients date of birth, gender at birth, address, race and ethnicity. They will never ask for social security numbers, bank information, marital or immigration status.

Read more: Beware Of Contact Tracing Scams In Washington, Police Warn

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Tacoma lays off 120 more employees

The city of Tacoma has announced another round of layoffs as they try to adjust to revenue lost to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new report from the Tacoma News Tribune.

The tribune reports that 120 employees were laid of Monday, joining 150 others who were laid off earlier this month. The layoffs will last through June 22.

Around 2,250 people work for the City of Tacoma. The new layoffs reportedly affect a number of departments including the city attorney's office, city manager's office, public works, fire management and police.

Read the full report on the News Tribune's website here.

Inslee orders state hiring freeze

The coronavirus pandemic will cost Washignton billions of dollars over the coming years, according to state economists. To try and hamper some of that damage, Gov. Inslee has ordered a hiring freeze for all of the state's executive and small cabinet agencies, effective Monday. The move also freezes personal service contracts and new equipment purchases for state agencies.

There are some exceptions to the freeze, largely for jobs that are required to keep the government functioning and those that impact public safety.

The governor is also calling on higher education institutions, boards, commissions and other elected officials to impose similar hiring freezes.

Read more: Gov. Inslee Issues State Hiring Freeze, Effective Monday

Uber requiring masks for drivers and passengers

Starting Monday Uber drivers can refuse service to passengers without masks, and passengers whose drivers are not wearing a mask can cancel the ride penalty free.

To enforce the rule, the rideshare company is changing its app to require photo proof that a mask is being worn by the driver. Drivers will have to submit a selfie of themselves in a mask or face covering before starting a shift. Passengers will also have to confirm that they're wearing a mask or face covering and have been frequently washing their hands before they be queued for a ride.

Once the trip begins, Uber says passengers then have to sit in the back seat of the vehicle with the windows open for maximum ventilation.

The new regulations affect all drivers and passengers across the United States, Canada, India and most of Latin America and Europe. The changes will remain in effect at least through the end of June. After that, the company says, it will reassess each area based on the current status of the outbreak and public health needs.

Read more: Uber To Allow Drivers To Deny Passengers Without Masks

UW studying how virus affects pets

Reports of cats, dogs and other pets catching the new coronavirus has left some pet owners worried about protecting their beloved pets from the disease. Now, UW is launching a new study to try and put some of those fears to bed.

The study is called the COVID-19 and Pets Study, or CAPS, and is seeking adult volunteers who live in King County, have tested positive for the coronavirus in the past two weeks, and have a pet that is up to date on its rabies shots.

Researchers will study the diseases impact on a variety of pets, from dogs and cats, down to ferrets and hamsters. However, reptiles, like iguanas and snakes, and birds are not included.
The study starts with a 15 to 3o minute survey that can be taken online or over the phone. Afterwards, a vet visits the volunteer's home to test their pet for the coronavirus.

Read more: UW Studying Coronavirus's Impact On Pets

Coronavirus cases by city

Location	Confirmed Cases	Deaths
Bonney Lake	40	2
Central Pierce County	127	5
East Pierce County	48	2
Edgewood/Fife/Milton	83	9
Frederickson	59	2
Gig Harbor	52	1
Graham	52	0
Key Peninsula	7	1
Lake Tapps/Sumner	42	0
Lakewood	181	5
Parkland	94	1
Puyallup	120	5
South Hill	94	0
South Pierce County	37	0
Southwest Pierce County	21	2
Spanaway	58	4
Tacoma	557	23
University Place	51	1
Unknown	7	0
Total	1,730	63