More than 100 Tri-Cities COVID cases reported Tuesday. Total Hanford cases up

The local health district reported 104 more known cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, the first time in recent days that new cases topped 100.

However, it was still generally in line with a trend of plateauing or even dropping cases on average over recent weeks for Benton and Franklin counties.

Local hospital cases fell again after being down significantly a day earlier.

There were no new deaths reported on Tuesday, following five deaths reported in the last 10 days.

On Monday, the local health district reported just 30 cases, on Sunday 42 cases, on Saturday 53, on Friday 72, on Thursday 82 and Wednesday 130. Tuesday a week ago it reported 172 cases.

“After two months of increasing case rates, we are seeing a slight decrease in new cases per 100,000 population,” the Benton Franklin Health District said on social media.

Cases on a rolling two week average peaked about July 10 and then dropped by the end of July to about the level reported in the two weeks through the end of June, according to graphs posted at the health district website.

Local health officials have cautioned residents not to put too much weight on a single day’s reported cases but to look at trends over time.

They are hopeful that more people wearing masks in July have made a difference. A state mandate requiring businesses not to serve unmasked customers took effect July 7.

Hospital cases

The number of people hospitalized locally for COVID-19 dropped from 59 as reported on Friday to 45 on Monday and 42 on Tuesday.

In July the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 treatment had been as high as 89, and on some days they accounted for more than 20% of patients hospitalized in Richland, Kennewick, Pasco and Prosser.

The 42 patients reported on Tuesday accounted for 13% of hospitalized patients.

Since the start of the pandemic, 141 patients have died in the Tri-Cities area of complications of COVID-19.

They include 102 people in Benton County and 39 in Franklin County. No one younger than their 40s has died locally.

The total number of cases since the start of the pandemic reached 6,944 on Tuesday. They include 3,569 people in Benton County and 3,375 people in Franklin County.

A total of 34,841 people have been tested for the coronavirus in the two counties.

Hanford cases

At the Hanford nuclear reservation the number of employees known to have tested positive since the start of the pandemic topped 100 on Tuesday.

The 102 people are just under 1% of the 11,000 employees.

The cases appear to be community spread, with no known cases of the infection spreading among co-workers at the site.

The number of workers on site has slowly been ramping up.

The Department of Energy said about 40% of workers are now reporting to the 580-square-mile nuclear reservation and about 55% are teleworking.

The workforce reporting to the site was reduced to as few as 10% of workers in late March to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Most workers, even if they cannot telecommute, continue to be paid under a provision included in federal economic stimulus legislation.

Getting tested

Pop-up mobile COVID-19 testing will be offered 1-7 p.m. Wednesday Aug. 5 at Kurtzman Park S. Wehe St., Pasco, said the local health department.

On Thursday Aug. 6 it will move to Connell. Pop up mobile testing will be offered 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Pioneer Park, E. Birch St.

No appointment is needed and testing is free, but people are asked to bring insurance information if they have it. Those who test positive will be notified by phone in two to four days.

The Washington National Guard, in cooperation with public health agencies, continues to offer free drive-thru testing without an appointment at the Toyota Center in Kennewick and the HAPO Center, formerly TRAC, in Pasco.

They are open 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, but on busy days the line closes to more cars as early as noon.

Other places where COVID-19 testing is available across Benton and Franklin counties is posted by the local health district at bit.ly/TCtestingsites.

Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms, whose doctor recommends testing or who has had a close contact or known exposure to the coronavirus is urged by the local health district it be tested.

This story was originally published August 4, 2020 at 2:03 PM.