Tri-Cities COVID rate remains one of highest in WA. Nearly 450 cases over the weekend

The average number of new COVID-19 cases in the Tri-Cities dipped over the weekend, along with the number of patients hospitalized for the disease.

Benton Franklin Health District reported Monday 447 new cases of COVID.

The cases averaged 149 a day from Saturday through Monday. That compares to an average of 223 daily cases the previous weekend.

This weekend, Franklin County had 199 cases for the three-day period, and Benton County reported 248.

Hospitalizations are at 25% of admitted patients being treated for COVID-19. That’s down from 32% a week ago.

On Monday, there were 100 patients hospitalized with COVID at Kadlec Regional Medical Center, Trios Southridge Hospital, Lourdes Medical Center and Prosser Memorial Hospital. That compares to 127 COVID patients a week ago.

But on Friday, the health district announced 12 COVID-related deaths that week, with an additional 22 deaths from the Washington Department of Health’s backlog of deaths going back to July 6.

The number of cases per 100,000 people in the two counties was at its highest point between Aug. 30 to Sept. 12 since the onset of the pandemic last year.

There was 1,050 cases per 100,000 over the two week period — the most recent information available.

The infection rate in Franklin County was 1,254 cases per 100,000 during that time. And it was 989 cases per 100,000 in Benton County.

The rate had been trending upward since July when it was 147 cases per 100,000.

Just two other counties in Washington state reported infection rates of more than 1,000 per 100,000. They are Lincoln County at 1,438 and Stevens at 1,138.

Health officials say 20- to 29-year-olds remain the group with the highest number of total positive cases.

Since Aug. 30 when school started, 376 children up to 9 years old have tested positive and 569 between 10 and 19 have had COVID, local health district data shows.

Over the course of the pandemic that began in March 2020, more than 43,000 in Benton and Franklin counties have had COVID.