COVID deaths in Tri-Cities reach 99. New statewide mask law starts

The number of deaths in the Tri-Cities area due to complications of COVID-19 reached 99 on Friday.

The latest death was a Benton County woman in her 60s with underlying health conditions that put her at risk of severe illness if exposed to the coronavirus.

There were 71 new confirmed cases reported on Friday, down both from the 80 cases reported a day earlier and the case counts of more than 100 on some recent days.

The increase comes as testing is more widely available in the Tri-Cities area, but public health officials say they continue to be concerned about person to person spread of the coronavirus in the community.

Hospitalization rates for people being treated for COVID-19 also are about double what they were a little more than a month ago, showing that more than just increased testing is responsible for the new cases.

The largest of the Tri-City hospitals, Kadlec Regional Medical Center, is treating some patients from beyond the Tri-Cities as a regional care center, but says the majority of its patients continue to come from Benton and Franklin counties.

The death tally for the Tri-Cities area includes 74 deaths in Benton County and 25 in Franklin County.

The number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 or being treated for COVID-19 pending test results is 68, according to the Benton Franklin Health District. It remained the same as Thursday and was down from a high of 89 reported earlier in the week.

The patients account for 22% of people in hospitals in Richland, Kennewick, Pasco and Prosser.

The cases reported by the health district on Friday, all confirmed with testing, included 31 in Benton County for a total of 1,586 known confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic. Franklin County had 40 new cases for a total of 1,490 cases.

The number of new cases remain far above state targets for moving the two counties to Phase 2 of reopening businesses and allowing small gatherings.

The state is looking for no more than 50 new cases total in Benton County and no more than 24 new cases over two weeks in Franklin County, but also is considering other metrics as it makes its decision.

Hispanics account for 49% of the confirmed Tri-Cities cases, though only 33% of the population is Hispanic.

The Benton Franklin Health District reported 218 more people in Benton County and 126 more people in Franklin County had been tested as of Friday for the coronavirus. Antibody tests, which may show whether a person has been previously exposed to the virus, are not included in those totals.

They bring the total number of people tested in Benton County to 9,023 and the total number of people tested in Franklin County to 4,648.

Mask order in effect

On Friday the statewide order to wear cloth face masks in most public places took effect.

The Washington state Department of Health recommends that the face covering include a couple layers of cloth. It must cover your mouth and nose.

Surgical-grade masks and N95 respirators continue to be reserved for health care and other workers, such as first responders.

Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer before putting on a mask and after you take it off. Try not to touch your face covering after you put it on.

Masks should be cleaned in a washing machine after each day’s use.

Children younger than 2 should never wear a face mask because of the risk of suffocation, according to the Benton Franklin Health District.

The face covering requirement that started Friday includes exemptions for people with certain disabilities or health conditions, people who are deaf or hard of hearing and rely on reading lips and children under the age of 5, although masks are encouraged for children ages 3-5.

The order covers indoor public spaces such as stores, restaurants and offices, and outdoor spaces when people may be within six feet of nonhousehold members.

People may take off their mask to eat or drinking or to communicate with someone who is deaf or hard of hearing

Not wearing a mask, if not exempt from the order, is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $100 or up to 90 days in jail. However, most law enforcement agencies say their approach will be to educate the public.

This story was originally published June 26, 2020 at 1:41 PM.