Tri-Cities COVID deaths doubled in August. New infections tripled

There are early indications that the rate of new COVID-19 cases in the Tri-Cities area may be slowing, but the trend may not last, said Dr. Amy Person, health officer for Benton and Franklin counties.

Public health officials are concerned that the Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo last week could have spread the coronavirus among those who attended and they also will be watching for cases tied to gatherings on the upcoming Labor Day weekend.

“We know that some people still don’t accept that COVID-19 is a real threat to the health of our community and the health of our economy,” she said. “That’s translated into more cases and more hospitalizations, and a hospital and health care system, that not just here in Benton and Franklin counties but across the state, struggle to maintain capacity.”

The modest decline in the new case rate now will not provide immediate relief for overwhelmed Tri-Cities area hospitals, Dr. Person said at a news briefing Thursday.

“Because hospitalizations and deaths do lag the (new) case counts, we unfortunately anticipate that we will continue to see high hospitalizations and additional deaths as a result of the earlier peak,” she said.

The number of new cases remain near the peak of the pandemic.

In August 6,575 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed with positive test results were reported in the Tri-Cities area, up from 2,171 the month before. It was more than a three-fold increase.

In August there were 23 deaths in the Tri-Cities area due to complications of COVID-19, up from 10 the month before.

The new case count in August was the highest of the pandemic, beating the previous high in December 2020, Dr. Person said.

New daily cases have increased this summer in all ages, with the new cases in people 15 to 39 now higher than the average for all ages in Benton and Franklin counties, she said.

Public health officials are particularly concerned about the high number of people being hospitalized for COVID-19.

“Our hospitals continue to struggle, both with the demand for beds, particularly in the ICU (intensive care unit) and with staffing challenges,” Dr. Person said.

The four hospitals in Benton and Franklin counties had a total 90 patients on average each day in August, up from 38 the month before.

Patients hospitalized for COVID-19 treatment locally hit a high of 114 Friday, Aug. 27, and the patient count Thursday was 107.

They accounted for 27% of the patients in the Richland, Kennewick, Pasco and Prosser hospitals.

Hospital officials have repeatedly said that their facilities were overwhelmed over the last month because COVID-19 had driven patient counts so high and implored people to get vaccinated, wear masks in public and avoid large gatherings.

The increase in new COVID cases has stressed not only hospitals, but first responders and other emergency medical workers as they struggle to keep up with COVID-19 patients in addition to the usual illnesses and injuries, including people who have delayed care due to COVID-19, Dr. Person said.

“This is a situation that remains critical if we want to be able to preserve our hospitals and health care system,” she said.

Slow, steady Tri-Cities vaccination

The increase in Tri-Cities area people getting vaccinated against COVID-19 continues to be slow, but steady, Dr. Person said.

Over the last week the number of fully vaccinated people increased by 0.8% in Benton County and 0.9% in Franklin County.

While that is encouraging “that is not going to be sufficient to get the pandemic under control,” Dr. Person said.

In Benton County 42% of all people and 51% of those old enough to receive the COVID-19 are fully vaccinated. That drops to 35% of all people and 45% of those 12 and older in Franklin County.

Statewide 55% of all residents are fully vaccinate and 65% of those 12 and older, according to the Washington state Department of Health.

“We continue to hear stories about people who where hesitant or even resistant to being vaccinated being ready to be immunized,” she said.

Unfortunately, many only change their mind when they are touched personally with a family member or friend who becomes seriously ill, she said.

Even those who have already had COVID-19 and recovered should be vaccinated, because the vaccine offers better protection than natural immunity, according to public health officials.

“Vaccination remains the safest and most effective way for us to protect enough people in this community in order to slow the spread of COVID-19 so we can keep our hospitals and health care system functioning, we can maintain our economy, we can keep our kids in school,” she said.

Safety protocols used in schools last spring in the Tri-Cities area proved effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19, she said.

This fall there is the advantage of vaccines required for school staff and recommended for students 12 and older, she said.

Masks are required by staff and schools and experience from last spring, plus research around the world, shows they are effective, she said.

In addition schools are maintaining ventilation in classrooms and may hold activities outdoors during good weather, she said.

People planning to attend Labor Day weekend gatherings should wear masks and limit their time there, she said.

Outdoor gatherings are safer than indoor gatherings with nonhousehold members, but the health district has recommended that no large gatherings be held.

Tri-Cities COVID cases

The rate of new cases as of Thursday had dropped to 934 new cases per 100,000 people in two weeks in Benton County, down from a high of 961 last week.

In Franklin County, the new case rate Tuesday was 1,027, down from a high of 1,051 the day before.

The case rate for both counties combined was 964, down from a high of 980 a day earlier.

A month ago the Benton County new case rate was 426 and the Franklin County new case rate was 469, with a new case rate for both counties combined of 440.

So far this week, starting with the weekend, the Benton Franklin Health District has reported 1,483 new cases, or an average of 247 per day.

On Thursday it reported 198 new cases confirmed by positive test results in Benton County and 111 in Franklin County.

They bring total cases in the Tri-Cities area to 39,257 since the start of the pandemic, including 23,499 people in Benton County and 15,758 in Franklin County.

Those case have resulted in 373 deaths, with Tri-Cities area deaths announced once a week on Fridays.

This story was originally published September 2, 2021 at 12:46 PM.