Coronavirus updates: State reaches 23,729 cases on Sunday
This page includes coronavirus developments around Washington state for Sunday, June 7.
Updated at 4:40 p.m.
The Washington State Department of Health on Sunday reported 287 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and six deaths.
Statewide totals have reached 23,729 cases and 1,159 deaths, up from 23,442 cases and 1,153 deaths on Saturday.
King County continues to be the hardest hit with 8,457 cases and 578 deaths. Yakima County has 4,509 cases and 100 deaths while Snohomish County has 3,033 cases and 152 deaths. Pierce County reported 14 new cases and no deaths on Sunday, bringing its totals to 2,050 cases and 80 deaths.
Garfield, the state’s least populous county, remains the only county without a reported case. Seven other counties are reporting fewer than 10 cases each.
There are 32 cases that have not been assigned to a county.
There were 13 people with confirmed cases of COVID-19 admitted to state hospitals on May 30, the most recent date with complete data. The total number of people who have been hospitalized in the state stood at 3,669 on Sunday.
There have been 405,056 tests conducted in the state with 5.9% coming back positive.
The test numbers reflect only polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which are given to patients while the virus is presumably still active in the body.
Pierce County reports 14 new cases
Updated at 2:15 p.m.
Pierce County reported 14 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Sunday and no additional deaths.
The county’s totals are now at 2,050 cases and 80 deaths since the outbreak began.
The health department’s website says it has “stopped reporting deaths of COVID-19 patients whose cause of death was not attributed to the disease.”
There have been 20.6 new cases per 100,000 residents during the past 14 days, the site says.
Daily case totals can change as the county receives new information about cases, finds duplicate data or is assigned cases originally attributed to other counties.
Pierce County had 186 new cases in the last 14 days, an average of 13.3 new cases each day.
There have been 30,739 tests conducted in the county with positive results at 6.6%, according to the state Department of Health. Care facility negative tests are unavailable and about 78,500 tests aren’t yet assigned to a county, which mans the positive test rate is likely lower.
Sunday’s geographical case totals are listed below with Saturday’s totals in parentheses:
▪ Bonney Lake: 48 (no change)
▪ Central Pierce County: 146 (no change)
▪ East Pierce County: 59 (58)
▪ Edgewood/Fife/Milton: 93 (no change)
▪ Frederickson: 68 (67)
▪ Gig Harbor area: 55 (no change)
▪ Graham: 69 (67)
▪ JBLM: No longer reported
▪ Key Peninsula: 7 (no change)
▪ Lake Tapps/Sumner area: 50 (no change)
▪ Lakewood: 211 (no change)
▪ Parkland: 124 (123)
▪ Puyallup: 146 (143)
▪ South Hill: 105 (no change)
▪ South Pierce County: 39 (no change)
▪ Southwest Pierce County: 21 (no change)
▪ Spanaway: 66 (no change)
▪ Tacoma: 662 (658)
▪ University Place: 69 (no change)
▪ Unknown: 11 (10)
Daily reports include cases received by 11:59 p.m. the previous day.
Goodwill of Olympics and Rainier Region to reopen
Updated at 9 a.m.
Here’s some good news for those who’ve spent their stay-at-home time during the pandemic cleaning out closets.
Goodwill of the Olympics and Rainier Region will reopen its donation sites Monday in Pierce County, followed by reopening its stores on June 10.
King County donation centers will open June 10 and retail stores June 12.
Blue boutiques will reopen June 15.
Store traffic will be limited to 30 percent or less of the building occupancy for Pierce County sites and 15 percent or less for King County locations.
According to Friday’s announcement: “All customers will be required to use cloth face coverings while in the stores and to practice appropriate social distancing during their shopping experience. Signage to help customers follow protocols will be displayed prominently throughout the stores.”
At the donation centers, donors will have to unload items from their vehicles and place in bins provided by a Goodwill attendant.
Forget about trying to donate furniture or other large items.
“Due to social distancing practices, furniture and other large items will not be accepted at this time. All new donations will be put in quarantine for a minimum of 72 hours in accordance with guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),” said Goodwill in its release.
More information on the reopenings is at https://bit.ly/GWreopens
For a list of locations and operating hours, go to www.goodwillwa.org/shop.
Washington state reports 449 new cases on Saturday
Updated at 9 a.m.
The Washington State Department of Health reported 449 new cases of COVID-19 and four deaths Saturday.
Statewide totals have reached 23,442 cases and 1,153 deaths, up from 22,993 cases and 1,149 deaths Friday.
King County remains the hardest hit with 8,417 cases and 576 deaths, while Yakima County has 4,366 cases and 100 deaths and Snohomish County has 3,025 cases and 152 deaths.
Pierce County reported 18 new cases and one death Saturday, bringing its totals to 2,036 cases and 80 deaths.
Seventeen of the state’s 39 counties have reported more than 100 cases, and 11 counties have reported at least 10 virus-related deaths.
Garfield, the state’s least populous county, remains the only county without a reported case. Seven other counties are reporting fewer than 10 cases each.
There are 25 cases that have not been assigned to a county.
There were 18 people with confirmed cases of COVID-19 admitted to state hospitals on May 29, the most recent date with complete data. The total number of people who have been hospitalized in the state stood at 3,652 on Saturday.
There have been 400,588 tests conducted in the state with 5.9% coming back positive.
The test numbers reflect only polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which are given to patients while the virus is presumably still active in the body.
Mt. Rainier National Park announces expansion of pubic access
Updated at 9 a.m.
Mount Rainier National Park reopened the Nisqually to Paradise Road in the park’s southwestern corner late in the day on Friday.
This expansion provides public vehicle access to the Longmire National Historic District and to Paradise. Limited services will be available, including restrooms and trailheads throughout the corridor.
In addition, expanded access is now available on the park’s east side near the White River and Ohanapecosh campgrounds for hiking and picnicking. Overnight use of campgrounds will begin at a later date.
Visitor Centers, hotel lodging and developed campgrounds will remain closed until it is safe to reopen them. Recreation on the Upper Mountain above 10,500’ elevation will open on June 19.
Public access is expected to expand further during the summer based upon updated risk assessments and staffing availability.
Following guidance from the CDC and recommendations from state and local public health authorities in consultation with NPS Public Health Service Officers, the following facilities and services are suspended until further notice:
▪ Park visitor centers
▪ Recreation above 10,500 feet closed until June 19
▪ Some park roads, including Sunrise and Mowich Lake Roads, normally closed this time of the year remain closed. While currently closed to motorized vehicles, park roads are open to non-motorized vehicles like bicycles unless snow plowing or otherwise posted. CHECK SIGNS on closed road gates before proceeding. During snow plowing operations or when otherwise posted, park roads are closed to all use, including hiking, skiing, snowmobiles, and bicycling.
▪ Stevens Canyon Road remains temporarily closed between Bench & Snow Lakes trail and Grove of the Patriarchs trail due to winter damage.
State sued for delaying benefits during fraud inquiry
Updated at 9 a.m.
Attorneys for two laid-off workers are suing Washington state for delays in paying benefits while it reins in rampant unemployment fraud.
Northwest News Network reports that the nonprofit Unemployment Law Project, which helps people receive jobless benefits and appeal denied claims, filed the case directly with the state Supreme Court on Friday.
It seeks an order forcing the Employment Security Department to issue all payments promptly, saying the state does not have the authority to halt payment of legitimate claims, even to stop fraudulent ones.
Authorities say Washington paid out hundreds of millions of dollars in fraudulent unemployment claims as it rushed to help people hurt by the economic fallout from the pandemic. They have blamed international criminal organizations using identities stolen in previous large-scale data breaches.
The state said this week it has recovered about half of the $550 million to $650 million that was fraudulently paid out. Employment Security Commissioner Suzi LeVine says she knows residents are hurting financially and that her agency is doing its best to get them help as soon as possible.
“People understand the COVID virus has presented a major crisis and many systems are overloaded,” said John Tirpak, executive director of the Unemployment Law Project. “People have been patient and know things are not going to happen instantly. But when you have been attempting to claim unemployment since March and it’s already June and there has been no progress, it’s very discouraging.”
Many claimants began receiving unemployment benefits only to have the payments suspended as the state sought to limit fraud.
This story was originally published June 7, 2020 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Coronavirus updates: State reaches 23,729 cases on Sunday."
