3 more COVID deaths in Tri-Cities. Daily new cases continue slowing

Three more deaths in the Tri-Cities area from complications of COVID-19 were reported Wednesday, but the number of new cases was in line with recent flat and downward trends.

The number of patients being treated at local hospitals dropped again and were reported at levels not seen consistently since May.

There were 59 new confirmed cases Wednesday, which brought total cases for Benton and Franklin counties since the start of the pandemic to 7,003.

The cases reported were down from 104 on Tuesday, which was higher than on most recent days.

On Monday, the Benton Franklin Health District reported just 30 cases, 42 on Sunday, 53 on Saturday, 72 on Friday, 82 on Thursday and 130 last Wednesday.

The health district pointed out that testing numbers reported Tuesday were low, at just 343 people reported tested in the two counties. A day earlier 743 people were tested.

“Remember a day is just a snapshot,” the local health district said.

A better indicator is trends and the two counties are seeing a slight decrease in new cases after two months of increasing rates, it said.

Since the start of the pandemic about 35,000 people have been tested in the greater Tri-Cities area.

Deaths

The deaths reported on Wednesday included a Benton County man in his 50s and a Benton County man in his 80s, both with underlying health conditions.

Having certain health conditions — such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease or lung disease — and also being 60 or older are risk factors for a severe case of COVID-19 if exposed to the coronavirus.

The third death was a Franklin County man who was 100 or older, but was not reported to have any of the underlying health conditions that have been linked to a severe case of COVID-19.

To date 104 residents of Benton County and 40 residents of Franklin County have died because of complications of COVID-19.

The Benton Franklin Health District does not add deaths to the tally unless the person who died had a positive test for COVID-19 and the death certificate listed complications of the disease as a primary cause of death.

The number of patients in Benton and Franklin County hospitals being treated for COVID-19 dropped to 38, according to the latest report.

For much of May the number of COVID-19 patients in local hospitals was in the 30s.

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 38 people reported on Wednesday accounted for just under 12% of patients being treated for COVID-19 at hospitals in Richland, Kennewick, Pasco and Prosser.

Safe Start phases

The Washington state Department of Health currently is not approving applications for counties to move to higher phases of reopening under the Safe Start plan. The Tri-Cities area now is in modified Phase 1.

When the state starts to review applications again, it will be looking for adequate health care capacity to handle a potential increase in COVID-19 cases as gathering and business opening restrictions are loosened.

Benton County which has the majority of the hospital capacity for the Tri-Cities area, is meeting targets for health care capacity.

However, Benton and Franklin counties are far from meeting targets set by the state Department of Health for new cases.

The state wants to see fewer than 25 new cases per 100,000 people total over two weeks. Just five of 39 counties in the state are meeting that standard.

The latest state data, which is for the two weeks ending July 29, shows 313 new cases reported per 100,000 people those weeks in Benton County and 578 in Franklin County.

This story was originally published August 5, 2020 at 1:48 PM.