Over 500 new COVID cases reported in Tri-Cities over the weekend

The number of COVID cases over the weekend in the Tri-Cities area are 15% higher than a week ago.

The Benton Franklin Health District reported Monday 513 new cases of COVID. Last weekend, 447 new positive cases were reported.

That’s an average of 171 cases a day Saturday through Monday this week. That compares to an average of 149 last weekend and 223 average daily cases the weekend ending Sept. 13.

This weekend, Franklin County had 186 cases over the three-day period, and Benton County reported 327.

Last week, the number of cases in Benton and Franklin counties averaged closer to 250 positive cases daily.

The increase in cases week over week comes on the tail end of what was the deadliest week due to COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

Local health officials reported 22 people died last week from complications from the virus.

Already, September has had 55 deaths in the Tri-Cities area — not counting 22 that were reported because of a backlog in verifying the deaths going back to July. With another week left in the month, it could double that of December 2020 when there 36 total deaths reported.

On Monday, there were 90 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at Kadlec Regional Medical Center, Trios Southridge Hospital, Lourdes Medical Center and Prosser Memorial Hospital.

Hospitalizations are at 21% of admitted patients being treated for COVID-19.

Last week ended with 98 patients being admitted for the virus, which was down from 118 earlier in the month.

This story was originally published September 27, 2021 at 12:55 PM.