Benton County tops 1,000 coronavirus cases, with Franklin not far behind
The number of new cases of COVID-19 in the Tri-Cities area dropped to 32 on Wednesday, after cases spiked over the previous five days to an average of 42 a day.
The Benton Franklin Health District believes the recent spike is in part the result of people who attended social gatherings on Mother’s Day and Memorial Day in mid to late May now being diagnosed.
Total Benton County cases now top 1,000.
It now has 1,017 cases, including 20 new confirmed cases reported on Wednesday.
Franklin County has 800 cases, including 12 new confirmed cases reported on Wednesday for a total of 1,817 in both counties.
Some 83% of the total cases have been confirmed through testing, with the remainder considered probable. No test results were available, but people had symptoms and close contact with confirmed cases.
Although known new cases were lower on Wednesday, the counties still are not close to meeting targets set for reopening more businesses under Phase 2 of the state’s Safe Start plan.
Benton County must have fewer than 50 confirmed cases in two weeks and Franklin County, with about half as many people, must have fewer than 24.
There were no deaths from complications of COVID-19 reported by the Benton Franklin Health District on Wednesday.
The total deaths since March remains at 84, with just four deaths in people younger than 60 and another four deaths in people without underlying health conditions.
Most of the deaths, 67, were people who lived in Benton County.
Hospitalized cases
The number of people in Benton and Franklin counties who were hospitalized with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 jumped to 57 on Wednesday, up from 52 the day before.
It is up from 35 people hospitalized nine days ago.
The patients being treated for COVID-19 Wednesday account for 19% of hospital patients in Richland, Kennewick, Pasco and Prosser. Information has not been made public about patient conditions or how many are in intensive care units.
The state Department of Health says a total of 210 residents of both counties with confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been hospitalized since the start of the pandemic.
Five more healthcare workers in the Tri-Cities area have been diagnosed with COVID-19, bringing the total since March to 222, the health district reported. No new cases were reported Wednesday in residents of long-term care or retirement homes.
Statewide 1,129 deaths from complications of COVID-19 have been reported and 22,157 cases have been confirmed, according to the Department of Health.