New COVID cases continue to decline in Tri-Cities but 2 more deaths

Two more people have died from complications of COVID-19 this week, the Benton Franklin Health District reported Friday.

The men, both in their 80s from Benton County, brings the number of deaths in May to four in the Tri-Cities.

And Tri-Cities health officials reported 28 new COVID cases Friday.

That brings the case count to 210 cases for the past seven days, for an average of 30 cases each day.

Last week an average of 39 new cases per day were reported in the Tri-Cities area, down from an average of 52 each day the week before.

On Friday, health officials reported 18 new cases in Benton County and 10 in Franklin.

The state goal for new case rates is fewer than 200 cases per 100,000 people.

For the two weeks from April 24 to May 7, Franklin County had a rate of 225 new cases per 100,000, according to calculations by the Benton Franklin Health district.

And Benton County had 175 cases per 100,000.

Tri-Cities deaths

Earlier this month, a woman in her 80s from Benton County and a man in his 40s from Franklin died. The health district updates the number of deaths from COVID weekly.

They bring the total number of Tri-Cities area residents who have died to 322, including 217 in Benton County and 105 in Franklin County.

The deaths include 134 people 80 or older; 89 in their 70s; 60 in their 60s; 26 in their 50s; nine in their 40s; one each in their 30s and 20s; and two people younger than 20.

A dozen people died from the virus in April, down from 18 deaths in March and 22 in February, as more people are vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Local public health officials verify that the deaths are due to COVID complications by checking for a positive test result and that a coronavirus infection was named as a primary cause of death on the death certificate.

On Friday, hospitals in Benton and Franklin counties reported treating 29 patients for COVID-19.

That accounted for 7.2% of the 403 patients in the Richland, Kennewick, Pasco and Prosser hospitals.

Washington state

The Washington state Department of Health reported 1,362 new COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths Thursday.

Statewide totals from the illness caused by the coronavirus are 419,382 and 5,626 deaths. Those numbers are up from 418,020 and 5,614 deaths on Wednesday. The case total includes 32,479 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.

According to DOH data, King County, with the state’s highest population, continues to have the highest numbers in Washington, with 106,275 cases and 1,544 deaths. Pierce County, second in population, is second in cases, with 52,061, and second in deaths at 669.

All counties in Washington have at least 100 cases. Only 11 of the state’s 39 counties have case counts of fewer than 1,000.

There have been more than 32.8 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 584,371 deaths from the virus in the United States as of Thursday, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States has the highest total number of reported cases and deaths of any nation.

More than 3.33 million people have died from the disease worldwide. Global cases exceed 160 million.

Lauren Kirschman of The (Tacoma) News Tribune contributed to this report.

This story was originally published May 14, 2021 at 1:57 PM.