Benton and Franklin counties may both fail reopening check, Tri-Cities health officer warns

Both Benton and Franklin counties could be pushed back to Phase 2 of reopening when the state assesses Monday how well COVID-19 is being contained in each county.

They only need to meet one of two standards set by the state of Washington to show that COVID-19 is being controlled.

But both counties are at risk of failing both standards, said Dr. Amy Person, health officer for Benton and Franklin counties at a Thursday news media briefing.

Both have too many new cases to currently meet the standard of fewer than 200 new cases per 100,000 people over two weeks.

They also may have trouble meeting the second standard, a limit on people admitted to hospitals for COVID treatment over seven days, Dr. Person said.

Under Phase 2, fewer people are allowed in restaurants, theaters and gyms.

Hospitalizations for COVID-19 treatment are up, she said.

“It is concerning with our rise in hospitalizations that we are seeing increases in hospitalizations in our younger population over the last month,” she said.

“Approximately 12% of those hospitalized have been less than 30 (years old),” she said. “That’s double the number under 30 that have been hospitalized, that we saw the end of the summer.”

While those ages 60 and older are most at risk of being hospitalized or dying if they are infected with the coronavirus, COVID-19 also remains a risk for young and healthy adults, she said.

It is no coincidence that younger people are being hospitalized given that the ages least likely to be vaccinated against COVID-19 are older teens, followed closely by people ages 20 to 39, she said.

Reopening case rates

The latest case rate reported for Benton County by the local health district on Thursday was 208 cases per 100,000 over two weeks as Washington state and the Tri-Cities appear to be in the third wave of pandemic cases.

Benton County’s new case rate dropped under 200 from March 1 until Tuesday of this week.

Franklin County’s latest case rate reported by the local health district Thursday was 303 cases per 100,000 over two weeks. The county’s case rates reported this week have been the highest since late February.

The COVID hospitalization standard to remain in Phase 3 of reopening is fewer than about 10 new COVID hospitalizations in a week for Benton County and fewer than about five for Franklin County.

The Benton Franklin Health District announces total local hospital patients being treated for COVID, rather than newIy admitted COVID patients, each weekday.

On Thursday it reported that the number of local hospital COVID patients was up one from the day before to 24.

For most of the month the number of COVID patients hospitalized in Benton and Franklin counties has been in the teens and occasionally lower.

The 24 COVID patients Thursday accounted for 6.4% of the 377 patients at the Richland, Kennewick, Pasco and Prosser hospitals.

Tri-Cities COVID cases

The Tri-Cities has 50 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, the Benton Franklin Health District said Thursday.

It brings the average number of cases per day this week, starting with the weekend, to 51.

That is just below the average of 54 new cases per day last week.

The new cases reported Thursday included 31 in Benton County and 19 in Franklin County, which has about half as many people.

They bring total Tri-Cities area cases confirmed with positive test results since the start of the pandemic to 27,908.

They include 16,022 cases in Benton County and 11,886 in Franklin County.

The Tri-Cities area has had 313 deaths due to complications of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, including 211 Benton County residents and 102 Franklin County residents.

Recent deaths are announced weekly, on Fridays.

Washington state cases

The Washington state Department of Health on Wednesday reported 1,641 new COVID-19 cases. The department also reported 12 new deaths associated with the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Statewide totals from the illness caused by the coronavirus are 400,139 cases and 5,474 deaths. Those numbers are up from 398,509 and 5,462 deaths deaths as of Tuesday. The case total includes 29,288 infections listed as probable. DOH revises previous case and death counts daily.

Washington’s population is estimated at about 7.6 million, according to U.S. Census figures from July 2019.

The (Tacoma) News Tribune contributed to this report.

This story was originally published April 29, 2021 at 12:45 PM.