Pierce County May Be Seeing More COVID-19 Cases Than Ever Before

TACOMA, WA — Pierce County may be seeing more new COVID-19 cases than ever before, even surpassing the previous high-water mark set at the peak of the third wave of infections in late December.

According to the latest available data from the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, the county's 14-day case for July 28 - Aug. 8 was 434.6 COVID-19 cases per every 100,000 residents.

Before this week, the record-high 14-day case rate had been 351, set back on Dec. 20, 2020, according to TPCHD data.

It's worth noting that, while the current case rate of 434.6 is the highest case rate self-reported by the county, state Department of Health data shows Pierce County's case rate peaking at 528.92 during the last week of December and first week of January. State DOH data often differs from county-level sources and has historically shown higher case counts. Currently, the DOH says Pierce County is seeing a case rate around 514 — still markedly higher than anything since the winter wave.

The county is no stranger to COVID ups and downs, but this latest wave is notable in that it's the first major wave of new transmissions since the COVID-19 vaccine became readily available.

The surge can largely be blamed on the rapidly-spreading delta variant of COVID-19, which recently became the dominant strain of the coronavirus in Washington state, and is driving up case counts almost universally across the Evergreen State. According to Department of Health (DOH) data, for the first week of August health care providers across Washington reported more than 2,200 cases each day — the most the state has seen since January, during the tail end of the third wave of infections.

"We are extremely concerned by this increased spike in cases, driven by the delta variant, spreading like wildfire amongst men, women, and children," said Washington Secretary of Health Dr. Umair A. Shah.

The DOH has begun to warn residents that hospital capacity may be stretched thin by the influx of new patients. In Pierce County, the hospitalization rate is currently 8.9 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 per 100,000 people.

Complicating the problem in Pierce County specifically is the county's flagging vaccination rate. Despite relative success boosting vaccination in March though May, lately the county's vaccination rate has dipped to around 1,300 vaccines administered per day.

That depressed vaccination rate is having a measurable impact: neighboring King County, despite being more densely populated, has a 14-day case rate of just 285 infections per 100,000 people. It also has a higher vaccination rate, with 75 percent of the population 12 and over fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Pierce County, in comparison, has around 53.2 percent of residents 12 and older fully vaccinated.

Fortunately, there are still plenty of opportunities to help boost that local vaccination rate. The health department continues to host vaccination clinics on a weekly basis, and is urging anyone who remains unvaccinated to come down and get a free shot.

Related: 3rd COVID Vaccine Dose For Immunocompromised: What To Know In WA