100+ new COVID cases each in 2 of the Tri-Cities this week. Here’s a look by town

Pasco had nearly eight times as many new COVID-19 cases in residents in the last week as Richland.

And Kennewick had six times as many.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pasco jumped by 175 over last week, according to data from the Benton Franklin Health District. It posts case data by city every Tuesday.

The new cases bring the total to 918 confirmed cases in Pasco residents since the start of the pandemic.

That is 122 cases during the pandemic for every 10,000 residents, up from 99 a week ago, based on 2019 U.S. Census population estimates.

Kennewick, the largest city, had 132 more cases reported in residents in the last week for a total of 711 since the start of the pandemic.

That puts its case rate for the pandemic at 84 per 10,000 residents, up from 67 a week ago.

Richland, which is smaller than Pasco and Kennewick, had only 22 more cases, reported in its residents over the week. It brings total cases to 242.

The number of cases per 10,000 increased to 42, up from 38.

Richland is home to the Tri-Cities’ largest employer, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, where the majority of workers continue to telework. That could be playing a role in the comparatively low case rate, although its workers live in each of the Tri-Cities.

The Benton Franklin Health District said this week that 55% to 58% of new cases are in people working outside their home.

Pasco has the highest number of agricultural workers of any of the Tri-Cities and also is home to many food processing plants. Both are considered essential workers.

State Department of Health officials said statewide transmission of COVID-19 appears to have increased after Memorial Day weekend gatherings.

Cases by city

New case information for other cities in the two counties included:

▪ West Richland had just nine new cases for a total of 57.

That puts its rate at 38 per 10,000, lower than even Richland’s rate. It’s up from 31 a week ago.

▪ Prosser’s cases jumped by 44 over a week to a total of 145.

That increased the number of people per 10,000 diagnosed with confirmed cases of COVID-19 to 227, up from 158 a week ago.

The town has many residents working in agriculture and related essential food processing jobs, which puts them at higher risk of being exposed to the new coronavirus than people who can work from home.

It also is close to Yakima County, which has the worst outbreak in the state currently.

▪ Connell has had 51 cases, up nine in the last week, according to test results for COVID-19 received by the Benton Franklin Health District.

However, as of Wednesday the Washington state Department of Corrections was reporting 82 COVID-19 cases in inmates at the Coyote Ridge Corrections Center, who are counted as Connell residents.

▪ Benton City had seven more cases reported for a total of 27.

▪ Eltopia had three more cases in the last week for a new total of 18.

▪ Mesa now has 15 cases, up from 13 last week.

Kahlotus, Plymouth and Paterson each had fewer than 10 cases.

The health district has not made data for towns with fewer than 10 cases public to protect the medical privacy of individuals in small towns.

COVID-19 deaths

Although confirmed cases are higher in Pasco than Kennewick or Richland, the opposite appears to be true for deaths from complications of COVID-19.

Franklin County, where Pasco is its largest city, has had 21 deaths linked to COVID-19, according to the Benton Franklin Health District.

Benton County — where Kennewick and Richland are the largest cities — has had 73 deaths.

Deaths increased by four in Benton County and by three in Franklin County from last week.

The local health district has said that part of the difference is linked to Kennewick and Richland having the majority of the retirement communities and long-term care homes.

About 70 percent of deaths in the Tri-Cities have been linked to facilities for seniors.