Death toll from COVID-19 reaches 75 in Tri-Cities area. Plus more cases in health workers

Another death announced Tuesday brings the Tri-Cities area death toll to 75 from complications of COVID-19.

The latest death was a Franklin County woman in her 80s, who was at risk both because of her age and also because of underlying health conditions.

The number of known cases rose by 17 on Tuesday, an increase of just over 1%.

They included new cases in healthcare workers and residents of retirement and long-term care homes.

The number of healthcare workers infected with the new coronavirus since the start of the pandemic increased by three to 189, the Benton Franklin Health District said Tuesday.

The workers may care for patients in hospitals, clinics and nursing homes.

Hospitals were treating 35 patients with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19, an increase of two from the day before. They accounted for 14% of the patients at hospitals in Richland, Kennewick, Pasco and Prosser.

Information on their conditions and how many are in intensive care is not publicly available.

Residents of long-term care homes, such as nursing homes, and retirement communities have been especially vulnerable if infected with the new coronavirus.

Two more COVID-19 cases in residents were reported by the local health district on Tuesday for a total of 184 since the start of the pandemic. The health district also said two more staff in the homes had been diagnosed with COVID-19, for a total of 122 since the start of the pandemic.

Tri-Cities deaths, cases

Nearly 70% of deaths from COVID-19 in the Tri-Cities area — 52 of 75 — have been linked to retirement and senior care homes.

All but four people who have died have been 60 or older and all but five people have had underlying health conditions, such as lung or heart disease or diabetes.

However, those most likely to be known to be infected with the new coronavirus are those in their 20s through 50s, when cases are broken down into 10-year age groups.

The deaths include 58 in Benton County and 17 in Franklin County.

The breakdown of known cases include 792 in Benton County and 587 in Franklin County.

More than 80% of the known cases had positive test results for COVID-19. No test results were available for 19% of cases, but they had symptoms and close contact with a known case.

The health district does not track how many people have recovered from COVID-19.

Statewide 1,002 deaths have been reported and 18,611 known cases.