Pasco has most coronavirus cases of the Tri-Cities. Richland has less than half that

Pasco has had the most COVID-19 cases of the three Tri-Cities, according to the Benton Franklin Health District.

It released information for the first time Tuesday that broke down cases in the two counties by city.

It reported that 341 Pasco residents have had confirmed or probable cases of the disease caused by the new coronavirus since the start of the outbreak.

It is followed by 303 cases in Kennewick, which has the most population, and 128 in Richland.

Cases in smaller towns in Benton and Franklin counties include 33 in West Richland, 13 in Benton City and 28 in Prosser.

People with rural addresses in Franklin County account for 16 cases and people in rural Benton County account for four cases.

No deaths Tuesday

Just 17 new cases were reported Tuesday by the Benton Franklin Health District for a total of 870 cases, or an increase of just under 2%. On Monday cases increased by 12, for an increase of just over 1%.

No deaths were reported on Tuesday, but on Monday a Benton County man who was 100 died, bringing the total deaths to 43. All but four have been in Benton County residents.

Outbreaks at senior living and long-term care homes have been linked to 31 deaths, or 72 percent of deaths, and the majority of facilities for senior living and care in the Tri-Cities are in Benton County.

Of the total deaths, two people were in their 50s, but the other 41 were 60 or older, which put them at risk of more serious illnesses. All 43 had underlying health conditions, which also put them at increased risk.

Although older people are more likely to die if they are exposed to the new coronavirus, the majority of cases in the Tri-Cities area are in people younger than 60.

They include 144 people in their 50s; 147 people in their 40s; 143 in their 30s and 120 in their 20s and 59 people younger than 20. They account for 70 percent of cases.

The number of people hospitalized due to confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 in the two counties increased to 34 on Tuesday, up from 28 on Monday. They account for 12 percent of the patients in hospitals in Richland, Kennewick, Pasco and Prosser.

Tyson cases

The number of cases in healthcare workers has continued to increase, along with ill people in the outbreaks linked to Tyson Fresh Meats at Wallula south of Pasco and to long-term care and retirement centers in the Tri-Cities.

Two more cases linked to Tyson Fresh Meats were reported on Tuesday for a total of 116 in Tri-City area residents, plus nine more in Walla Walla County and one in Umatilla County, Ore.

At least 13 of the facilities for seniors in the Tri-Cities have had at least one reported case in a resident or staff member, for a total of 237.

The local health district reported that cases increased to 134 on Tuesday. Two more staff members had been infected, for a total of 103.

Richland, Kennewick life care

Life Care Center of Richland has had the worst outbreak, with the health district listing 100 residents and staff diagnosed with COVID-19 since the start of the outbreak until last week.

They include 39 residents who have tested positive for the new coronavirus, plus staff and residents considered probable cases because of symptoms and link to a person who tested positive, said Russell Patterson, Life Care executive director in Richland.

He reports that 12 residents of either Life Care Center of Richland or Life Care Center of Kennewick have died of complications of COVID-19, either at a Life Care Center or at a hospital.

The Richland nursing home has recently accepted 10 residents who were transferred from Life Care Center of Kennewick after testing positive for the new coronavirus.

It allows all residents of the two facilities to be isolated in one area with a staff dedicated to their care, helping to prevent the spread of the virus within the facilities.

Life Care Center of Richland is strictly following state and federal guidelines, including for screening staff as they arrive for work and leave work to make sure no additional illness in brought into the nursing home, Patterson said. Anyone with symptoms is sent home.

It is working closely with the Washington state Department of Health and the local health district.

Tri-Cities cases

The 870 known cases in Benton and Franklin counties include 512 in Benton County and 358 in Franklin County.

Some 77 percent are confirmed by testing, with the rest people with symptoms and close contact with those whose cases were confirmed.

With cases approaching 900 in the two counties, Benton and Franklin health officials say they do not have the staff to determine how many cases are active and how many people have recovered.

Much of the local health district’s staff time is used to identify and notify close contacts of COVID-19 patients to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, with staff assigned to work seven days a week.