Coronavirus update: County’s 1st death; Tacoma council confirms state of emergency
This page includes coronavirus developments around Washington state for Wednesday, March 18.
Third Department of Corrections employee tests positive
Updated at 2:40 p.m.
The Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC) received confirmation that a third employee has tested positive for COVID-19. The employee, who works at the Peninsula Work Release in Port Orchard, was last in the office on March 5 and received positive test results March 15. They will not return to work until they recover.
As of March 18 at 1 p.m., Corrections has no confirmed cases of COVID-19 among the incarcerated population, those in work release or those under community supervision.
Peninsula Work Release employees have been directed to report to work and return home only, limit exposure to others and monitor symptoms. Individuals housed at Peninsula Work Release are quarantined there until the end of the 14-day quarantine period, which is in seven days.
Lakewood City Council study canceled
Updated 1:15 p.m.
The Lakewood City Council study scheduled for March 23 has been canceled. The next meeting of the Lakewood City Council is scheduled for April 6 at 7 p.m. in the Lakewood City Hall Council chambers.
Visitors should avoid coming to UW campus to see cherry blossoms
Updated 1 p.m.
Visitors should avoid going to the University of Washington’s campus this spring to see the cherry blossoms and instead enjoy a virtual viewing experience.
While thousands of people typically visit campus to see the cherry blossoms, the university’s order is in complicance with state and local public health proclamations that prohibit gatherings of more than 50 people in an effort to combat the spread of COVID-19. Parking on campus to view the blossoms is also discouraged.
Thousands of people usually visit campus each spring to see the cherry blossoms. The university’s order is in compliance with state and local public health proclamations that prohibit gatherings of more than 50 people in an effort to combat the spread of COVID-19. Additionally, parking on campus to view the blossoms is discouraged.
A webcam overlooking the UW Quad is available for viewers to enjoy the trees remotely. Over the coming weeks, the university will share progress photos and videos on the cherry blossoms’ Twitter account, @uwcherryblossom and on UW News.
Pierce County death tied to COVID-19
Updated at 12:30 p.m.
The first Pierce County death tied to COVID-19 was announced Wednesday. A release from the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department stated: “We confirmed Wednesday that a Puyallup woman in her 50s died of complications from COVID-19.” The county as of Tuesday had 44 confirmed coronavirus cases.
According to the health department: “The woman had multiple underlying health conditions. She was admitted to MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup on March 6.
The health department emphasized that COVID-19 “can be particularly dangerous for people in high-risk groups. That includes people who have underlying conditions, are over 60 and are pregnant.”
Case identified at 167-bed Tacoma homeless shelter
Updated at 10 a.m.
A male guest at Tacoma’s Nativity House overnight homeless shelter tested positive for COVID-19, according to Catholic Community Services, which operates the 167-bed facility. Catholic Community Services learned of the positive test Sunday and took “immediate steps to protect staff and other guests,” according to a statement issued by agency director Denny Hunthausen.
Reached by The News Tribune, Hunthausen said the guest was in his 30s and had been staying at the shelter since January. It’s unclear if the positive COVID-19 case represents the first among Tacoma and Pierce County’s homeless population. It’s the first at Nativity House, Hunthausen said.
According to Hunthausen, nine male shelter guests were potentially exposed to the novel coronavirus. On Monday, those guests were separated and moved to the basement of neighboring Catholic Community Service’s facility, Hunthausen said.
Starting Tuesday, March 17, only guests of Nativity House’s overnight shelter will be allowed inside the facility, Hunthausen said. Meals, bathrooms and washing stations will be made available outside for regular day shelter guests.
Tacoma City Council confirms State of Emergency
Updated at 8 a.m.
The Tacoma City Council voted Tuesday evening to confirm the city’s March 12 State of Emergency proclamation in response to COVID-19.
Among other things, the proclamation allows the city to waive certain contracting and budget requirements and authorize staff to implement emergency purchasing requirements.
Council required Tacoma’s power, water, sanitary sewer, storm water and solid waste utilities to postpone shutoffs for non-payment. It also adopted Resolution No. 40575, which approved the creation of an Emergency Assistance Program by Tacoma Public Utilities to allow more households to qualify for assistance. The Emergency Assistance Program is funded for up to $1 million.
Election officials call for cancellation of April special election
Updated at 8 a.m.
In a letter to Gov. Jay Inslee, Secretary of State Kim Wyman and Washington’s country election officials have called for the cancellation of the upcoming April 28 special election using the emergency powers granted to him in statute.
Local jurisdictions across 18 counties were scheduled to hold special elections on April 28. At least two counties have already canceled their election requests.
“When conducting elections, officials must always balance access with security. Right now, both of these standards are in peril,” Wyman said in a statement. “As this pandemic continues to evolve, we cannot guarantee to conduct this election by the same standards we administer every other election. We also cannot mitigate potential critical reductions in key election workers.”
Wyman is working with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal and other affected jurisdictions to find alternative options, including holding the elections during the August primary or November general.
COVID-19 impacts operations at Sea-Tac
Updated at 8 a.m.
The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is operating, but it’s seeing the effects of the coronavirus outbreak. This time last year, 50,000 passengers traveled through security at the airport. Now, it’s averaging just 16,000 passengers.
Sea-Tac Airport has installed more than 140 hand sanitizer stations with 100 more to go. While most airport dining and retail tenants are open, they are operating under reduced hours and food service. Ten shops and restaurants are temporarily closed.
Airlines have suspended fights to mainland China (Beijing and Shanghai), Osaka, Amsterdam and Paris and reduced service to destinations such as Seoul, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taipei, Tokyo, Dubai, Dublin, London, and Frankfurt. The federal government instituted travel restrictions on China, Iran, the UK, Ireland, and 26 other European countries.
Gov. Inslee seeks major disaster declaration
Updated at 8 a.m.
Washington’s unemployment benefits program would be expanded to thousands more residents if President Donald Trump declares the novel coronavirus pandemic a major disaster, Gov. Jay Inslee said Tuesday.
Currently, part-time and self-employed individuals are not eligible for state unemployment benefits. They would be if the President deems COVID-19 a major disaster and the outbreak caused their jobs to be lost or interrupted. The Federal Emergency Management Agency also would help the state pay for those benefits.
Washington is facing a potential wave of unemployment applications because of the business closures announced Monday. The governor said he is considering other steps to help those impacted by the outbreak, but final decisions had not been made yet.
Western Washington Goodwills to temporarily close
Updated at 8 a.m.
Seattle Goodwill and Goodwill of the Olympics & Rainier Region will temporarily close from March 19 until April 2. Some donation centers will remain open. Information about those locations can be found at seattlegoodwill.org and goodwillwa.org.
Online stores will continue to operate with items sold on eBay, ShopGoodwill and Amazon. The job training staff will continue to provide support services and case management to students via phone and web-based conferencing.
The situation will be reassessed prior to April 2.
Washington state tops 1,000 cases
Updated at 8 a.m.
Washington state has topped 1,000 in COVID-19 cases now confirmed. Tuesday’s total, as reported by the Department of the Health, was 1,012, up from 904 on Monday, with 52 deaths, up from 48 on Monday.
More than 14,000 tests have been run in the state, according to the state health department’s update on Tuesday. Pierce County’s caseload grew by six on Tuesday, for a total of 44, with no deaths.
Pierce County searching property to isolate patients
Updated at 8 a.m.
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department has selected three sites that could become a coronavirus, COVID-19, isolation and quarantine center. Dr. Anthony Chen, health department director, is in final talks with Pierce County elected officials about choosing a facility for confirmed COVID-19 patients and those who have been exposed.
There is one site each in west, central, and east Pierce County. The county will either purchase or rent the space. It’s too early to provide details about how much the project would cost, health department spokesperson Edie Jeffers said. The health department is not publicly identifying the facilities at this time because the county is still in communications with community stakeholders, Jeffers said.
First Pierce County patients released from hospital
Updated at 8 a.m.
Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department on Tuesday said that some of the county’s first diagnosed COVID-19 patients have been released from the hospital.
In a blog post on Tuesday, Dr. Anthony Chen, director of Health at Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department and chief health strategist for Pierce County, wrote: “Several of our COVID-19 patients have already been discharged from the hospital. That includes Pierce County’s first case ... Several more are recovering well at home and never needed hospital care.”
That first patient, announced March 6, was a Puyallup man in his 50s with underlying health conditions. He was admitted to St. Anthony Hospital in Gig Harbor for treatment.
Russell Wilson, Ciara donating to Seattle food bank
Updated at 8 a.m.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and his wife, Ciara, are donating 1 million meals to Seattle’s Food Lifeline food bank during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Obviously, this worldwide pandemic, this coronavirus, is changing the world, second by second, minute by minute,” Wilson said in his self-shot video Ciara posted on her social-media page. “People are losing loved ones, the elderly and the young, and everybody in between.”
Ciara encouraged everyone to contribute to food banks and donations “in any way that you can” during this civic crisis.
Albertsons and Safeway offer special hours
Updated at 8 a.m.
Albertsons Companies announced Tuesday that nearly all of its 2,200-plus stores across the U.S. will offer the special shopping times. The special shopping hours are scheduled 7-9 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday.
“We know that some of our most vulnerable neighbors are senior citizens and other at-risk populations, such as pregnant women or those with compromised immune systems, who have been advised to avoid leaving home as much as possible,” Albertsons said in the announcement.
This story was originally published March 18, 2020 at 8:22 AM with the headline "Coronavirus update: County’s 1st death; Tacoma council confirms state of emergency."
