Tri-Cities area has 5th coronavirus death. Known cases double overnight in 2 counties

Another Tri-Cities area person has died from complications of COVID-19, and known cases more than doubled from 37 to 75 overnight, according to the Benton Franklin Health District.

There now are five deaths reported to the local health district, all in Benton County.

Four homes for seniors now have patients or staff who are infected, according to the health district.

Life Care Center of Richland and Solstice Senior Living in Kennewick each reported their first case.

The number of cases at Bonaventure Senior Living in Richland increased to nine, and cases at Regency Canyon Lakes in Kennewick increased to five as of Friday.

The health district previously reported seven cases at Bonaventure and two cases at Regency Canyon Lakes, which the nursing home said were both staff members.

The health district tallies cases based on positive tests for the new coronavirus and also includes those who have had symptoms and close contact with a person diagnosed with coronavirus but a test was not done. Testing has been limited in Benton and Franklin counties.

The fifth person to die of complications of COVID-19 in the two counties was a Benton County man in his 80s reported to the health district.

Previous deaths include a woman in her 80s reported March 18, a man in his 80s reported March 20, a man in his 70s on March 21 and a woman in her 90s reported March 25.

The cases break down to 54 in Benton County, including 42 confirmed by tests, and 21 in Franklin County, including 12 confirmed by tests.

The number of negative tests reported to the local health district in the two counties is 435 in Benton County and 145 in Franklin County for a total of 580. That is up from 392 negative test results on Thursday.

The Washington state Department of Health reported 3,723 cases on Friday afternoon, up about 500 from the day before,. There were 28 more deaths statewide for a total of 175.

At least 34 of the 39 counties in the state have reported cases.

There have been 49,015 negative test results reported. Some 93 percent of tests statewide have been negative.

Some 54 percent of those who have died in the state have been 80 or older, with that age group accounting for 13 percent of the confirmed cases.

Just 1 percent of those under 50 with COVID-19 have died, but they account for 41 percent of cases.

This story was originally published March 27, 2020 at 2:21 PM with the headline "Tri-Cities area has 5th coronavirus death. Known cases double overnight in 2 counties."