‘Explosive growth’ in Tri-Cities COVID cases called ‘a crisis.’ Vaccinated people at risk

The delta variant of the coronavirus has increased the risk for vaccinated people, but the vast majority of Tri-Cities area residents currently being infected and hospitalized continue to be those who are not vaccinated, according to data from the Benton Franklin Health District.

The delta variant behaves differently than earlier strains of the coronavirus, leading to an “explosive growth” in new cases, said Dr. Amy Person, health officer for Benton and Franklin counties, at a Thursday news briefing.

“This is a crisis and one that needs to be addressed, not just with vaccination but with all of the tools and mitigation measures we have had available to us since the beginning of the pandemic,” she said.

On Thursday, the Benton Franklin Health District reported 300 new cases of COVID-19 in the Tri-Cities area and the highest new case rate of the pandemic in Benton County.

In April just 2% of COVID cases were in vaccinated people, Dr. Person said.

But as at least 90% of current cases in Washington state now are the more contagious delta variant, “breakthrough” cases in vaccinated people have increased.

In July just under 6% of new COVID cases were in people who were vaccinated, a nearly three-fold increase in three months, Dr. Person said.

Some 95% of people sick enough to be hospitalized continue to be unvaccinated people, she said.

And officials at Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland, the Tri-Cities largest hospital, say rarely are vaccinated people sick enough to require treatment in its intensive care unit.

The vaccine continues to work well to keep vaccinated people who still are infected with “breakthrough” cases from becoming seriously ill and dying, said Heather Hill, infectious disease supervisor for the Benton Franklin Health District, speaking on the Kadlec on Call podcast this week.

Only one of the 356 Tri-Cities area residents who have died from complications of COVID-19 was vaccinated, according to data through the end of July.

Being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 remains the best protection, but vaccinated people can further protect themselves and others by wearing masks around people who may not be vaccinated and maintaining social distance, according to public health officials.

Rumors on social media that most infected people and hospitalized people have been vaccinated are false, Dr. Person said at the Wednesday board meeting of the Benton Franklin Health District.

The nation faces not only a COVID-19 pandemic, but a pandemic of misinformation, she said.

Tri-Cities COVID vaccine

The number of Tri-Cities area residents vaccinated against COVID-19 is slowly creeping up, with a gain of about 1% over the last week, Dr. Person said.

In Washington state about 63% of people eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19 are fully vaccinated, according to the Washington state Department of Health.

In Benton County 49% of eligible people — those age 12 and older — are vaccinated and in Franklin County just under 43% are fully vaccinated.

About 185,000 people eligible for the vaccine in Benton and Franklin counties remain unprotected, Dr. Person said.

The free, drive-thru testing site at Columbia Basin College off Argent Road in Pasco has about 1,000 people seeking testing on the days it is open, Fridays through Tuesdays.

About 24%, or nearly one in four tests at site, have positive results for the coronavirus.

Tri-Cities new cases

The 300 new confirmed COVID-19 cases announced Thursday for Benton and Franklin counties bring total new cases for the week, starting with the weekend, to 1,464.

They average 244 a day so far this week, up from 203 new cases a day last week.

Benton County’s new case rate climbed to 885 new cases per 100,000 in two weeks, as reported Thursday.

Until this week, the previous high case rate for Benton County was 816 last winter, according to information presented at the district board meeting.

Franklin County’s new case rate is 901 cases per 100,000 people in two weeks. It is steadily climbing toward its previous high case rate from the winter of 1,209.

Hospitals continue to be overwhelmed by high numbers of unvaccinated patients needing care for COVID-19 and staff shortages, Dr. Person said.

One in four patients hospitalized locally this week is being treated for COVID-19.

On Thursday hospitals were treating 99 patients for COVID-19, down from 104 on Monday, but up from 95 on Wednesday.

This story was originally published August 19, 2021 at 12:51 PM.