Pierce County sees COVID hospitalizations more than double; flu also widespread

Debbie Cockrell
·2 min read
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Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department has joined other health officials in recommending a return to indoor masking in some circumstances as COVID-19 cases rise along with other respiratory infections.

The health department, in its Thursday COVID-19 update, reported that Pierce County’s COVID-19 hospitalization rate “more than doubled this week.”

It added that flu and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infections continue to spread.

The health department is asking residents to consider wearing face masks indoors “around those most at risk,” as well as getting vaccinated for the flu and the latest COVID-19 bivalent booster.

If sick, the health department recommends staying home, covering your coughs/sneezes and frequent hand washing.

“Limit the time you spend in childcare centers or other potentially contagious settings,” it said.

Pierce County’s COVID-19 seven-day case rate per 100,000 is 86 for Nov. 22-28, and seven-day hospitalization rate per 100,000 is 3.7 for Nov. 20-26.

An updated death count was unavailable this week and will be updated next week, it said.

Pierce County’s total cases since the start of the pandemic March 2020 is 227,073, which includes antigen tests and probable cases. Total deaths as of last count are at 1,541.

Flu activity is also very high in the area, according to the health department in its Dec. 7 flu update, noting that “Many schools reported higher than usual absenteeism caused by a range of flu-like symptoms.”

“Local labs reported 3,582 flu tests. 1,169 tests were positive —1,142 for influenza A and 27 for influenza B,” TPCHD noted.

According to its data, 14.3 percent of visits to emergency departments/urgent cares were for influenza-like illness locally, and 6.8 percent of admitted patients had influenza-like illness.

Hospitalizations among adults 65 years or older continued to rise with outbreaks now in at least two long-term care facilities, according to TPCHD.

There have been 13 flu deaths statewide so far, with two in Pierce County.