Coronavirus updates: Washington state reaches 4,896 cases; property tax deadline moved
This page includes coronavirus developments around Washington state for Monday, March 30.
Updated at 4:05 p.m.
More than 80 immigrants detained at the Northwest Detention Center on Tacoma’s Tideflats started a hunger strike Friday to protest conditions at the facility in response to the pandemic, according to the immigrant rights group La Resistencia.
The Center has 1,575 beds and is privately owned and operated by the GEO Group.
The strike is meant to call attention to what advocates say is a dangerous health situation akin to what Wendy Parmet, a professor of law and public health at Northeastern University, calls a “tinderbox” where COVID-19 could spread rapidly to those detained, according to the Los Angeles Times.
In a news release, La Resistencia said the strikers had three demands:
▪ Provide temporary humanitarian visas for those inside.
▪ Reunite those detained with their families.
▪ Stop all deportation and immigration proceedings until the pandemic has concluded.
On Monday, members of La Resistencia, Tsuru for Solidarity and Never Again Seattle rallied outside the facility in Tacoma to express support for the hunger strikers inside.
Pierce County reports 35 new cases
Updated at 4:05 p.m.
Pierce County has 35 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the county’s total to 352, six deaths and 5,299 tested, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department reported on Monday.
The department now includes test results from University of Washington Virology Lab, Washington Public Health Labs, private labs and healthcare providers.
Statewide as of Sunday, there were 4,896 cases and 195 deaths with 65,462 tested.
The county health department on Monday afternoon noted that Washington Disease Reporting System was experiencing technical difficulties. Localized breakdown of numbers were unavailable as of 2:30 p.m..
Updated at 2:30 p.m.
Pacific Lutheran University has donated more than $10,000 in essential medical supplies to the Pierce County Emergency Operations Center for use in the fight against COVID-19.
The university’s Division of Natural Sciences, School of Nursing and School of Arts and Communications pooled excess on-hand items such as disposable gloves, N95 masks, gowns and safety goggles.
“PLU had supplies that were in critical need in our community and were not currently being used,” said Teri Phillips, the university’s chief operating officer. “So donating those supplies to those needing them most was an easy decision.”
Campus Safety members delivered the pallets of donated supplies by van to the Pierce County EOC late Friday afternoon.
“It was extremely important that PLU donate as much as possible to the community need, it is part of our mission of care,” Phillips said. “We hope our donation can have an impact for those on the front lines.”
Property tax due date extended
Updated at 11:20 a.m.
Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer Mike Lonergan, in coordination with the County Finance Director, has extended the due date for first-half property tax payments to June 1, 2020 due to the financial hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Interest charges will not be assessed on payments made by that date. Along with the business closures mandated by Gov. Jay Inslee, a record number of people have filed for unemployment.
“We want to give what relief we can to many taxpayers facing financial challenges during the public health emergency,” Lonergan said in a statement. “At the same time, local governments are needed more than ever right now, and the property tax is a major funding source for many needed services. Postponing the due date by a month is the best way to balance these needs.”
The property tax payment extension only applies to taxpayers who pay their residential and commercial property taxes themselves, rather than through a mortgage lender or servicer. Banks and other financial institutions that pay property taxes on behalf of mortgage customers must meet the original April 30 deadline.
Property owners who can pay their taxes now are encouraged to do so by April 30, or as soon thereafter as possible. Unpaid taxes from previous years are excluded from the extension.
The move is consistent with extensions from King and Snohomish county treasurers, who are offering similar payment relief in their jurisdictions. The payment deadline cannot be extended past June 1, as many cities, counties, school districts, fire districts, hospital districts, and other special purpose districts rely on the year’s first installment of property tax revenue to make June debt service payments.
“Many homeowners are facing extraordinary financial challenges during this public health emergency,” King County Executive Dow Constantine said in a statement. “My order provides short-term relief for individual taxpayers who own residential or commercial property, while allowing the state, county, cities and special purpose districts to continue meeting community needs as we all pull together to get through this unprecedented crisis.”
Washington’s COVID-19 cases reach 4,896
Updated at 8:30 a.m.
Washington state’s COVID-19 case totals reached 4,896 with 195 reported deaths on Sunday, up from 4,310 cases and 189 deaths on Saturday.
King County remains the hardest hit with 2,161 cases — 44 percent of the state’s total — and 144 deaths as of Sunday. That represents 44% of the state’s cases. Snohomish County has 1,068 cases and 12 deaths.
Of Washington’s 39 counties, 34 have reported at least one case. There are 387 cases in the state that have not been assigned a county. Thirteen counties have reported at least one death.
There have been than 65,462 individuals tested in Washington since the outbreak began with positive tests continuing to hover around 7%.
Inslee: Washington needs more coronavirus test supplies
Updated at 8:30 a.m.
Gov. Jay Inslee said Sunday that Washington state still has a shortage of coronavirus testing kits and again suggested the shutdown of most businesses and extreme social distancing would likely have to be extended to fight the disease.
Inslee appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union.” Washington has been testing more people for COVID-19 recently, but the governor said it lacks some necessary materials to do more.
“Things as simple as the swabs. When the little vials -- when you put the swab in it to send it to the lab, it needs a particular medium in it to preserve it. We just do not have those simple things,” Inslee said.
The Democrat urged a “World War II” kind of mobilization to manufacture needed materials.
The state Department of Health says more than 54,000 people have been tested for coronavirus in Washington. More than 4,300 have tested positive and at least 194 people have died.
Inslee said the two-week stay-at-home order he issued, which began March 25, would likely need to be extended or the disease would “continue to spread like wildfire to every single corner of my state.”
“We are seeing some very modest success in bending that curve just a little bit, but that’s very unpredictable,” he said on CNN. “And we have a long, long ways to go. ”
American Association of Emergency Medicine supports Bellingham doctor
Updated at 8:30 a.m.
An organization that represents emergency room physicians wants Attorney General Bob Ferguson and the state medical board to investigate the firing of a Bellingham doctor who had publicly criticized what he saw as inadequate measures to protect health care workers from the virus.
Dr. Ming Lin, who worked at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center for 17 years, was dismissed Friday by TeamHealth, a nation staffing firm under contract with the hospital to provide emergency department personnel. In a statement TeamHealth said Lin technically was not fired and remains employed by the company, but will no longer work at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center.
The American Association of Emergency Medicine condemned Lin’s removal and challenged the legality of TeamHealth’s business structure and Lin’s termination.
“(TeamHealth’s) hand in this termination is not only inexcusable but likely impermissible,” the statement said. It called on state Ferguson’s office and the Washington State Medical Commission to launch inquiries
Pierce County confirms 36 new cases
Updated at 8:30 a.m.
Pierce County reported 36 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Sunday.
That brings the county’s total to 317 positive cases of the 5,299 tested by the University of Washington virology lab and the state Public Health Laboratories since the outbreak began. About 6% of residents tested have tested positive.
The county reported one death on Sunday of a North Pierce County man in his 60s with an underlying health condition. Pierce County has now reported six total deaths..
Case number totals by geographic location within the county are listed below with Saturday’s reported totals in parenthesis:
▪ Bonney Lake: 9 (8)
▪ Central Pierce County: 12 (no change)
▪ East Pierce County: 12 (11)
▪ Edgewood/Fife/Milton: 14 (no change)
▪ Frederickson: 8 (no change)
▪ Gig Harbor area: 30 (17)
▪ Graham: 14 (11)
▪ JBLM: 3 (no change)
▪ Key Peninsula: 2 (no change)
▪ Lake Tapps/Sumner area: 9 (7)
▪ Lakewood: 15 (12)
▪ Parkland: 20 (19)
▪ Puyallup: 31 (19)
▪ South Hill: 16 (no change)
▪ South Pierce County: 4 (no change)
▪ Southwest Pierce County: 6 (no change)
▪ Spanaway: 10 (8)
▪ Tacoma: 114 (89)
▪ University Place: 10 (8)
Puyallup to get Sounder parking garage, but coronavirus could impact time line
Updated at 8:30 a.m.
Sound Transit’s parking garage project in Puyallup is moving ahead but could see some setbacks with statewide halts on construction and public gatherings to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The 5-story garage will be at the corner of 3rd NW Avenue and 5th Street NW, across the street from Puyallup’s Sounder station.
The $3.82 million project’s timeline is uncertain.
The City Council granted the city manager the authority to enter into a contract with Sound Transit earlier this month, and the Sound Transit board approved the contract on Thursday.
The transportation agency also issued a Notice to Proceed to the design-and-build contractor in recent weeks.
Sound Transit spokesperson Scott Thompson said the agency isn’t planning any construction on the project in the near future, and it’s unclear how the project will be impacted by the spread of the coronavirus.
The design for the parking garage is yet to be finalized, but the initial layout includes a skywalk connecting the garage to the station across the street and artwork styled with a nod to the Puyallup Tribe.
In order for the garage to be built, the city has to close down part of 3rd Avenue. The public hearing to do so has been postponed due to the stay-at-home mandate by Gov. Jay Inslee.
This story was originally published March 30, 2020 at 8:36 AM with the headline "Coronavirus updates: Washington state reaches 4,896 cases; property tax deadline moved."
