BFHD: 72 new cases of COVID-19 reported Monday

KENNEWICK, Wash.-- The Benton-Franklin Health District (BFHD) reported 72 new cases of coronavirus on Monday, for a bi-county total of 1,509 cases of the illness since the county confirmed its first case in March.

The agency did not report any cases on Saturday or Sunday so that staff could take some time off, so Monday's total reflects all new confirmed cases of COVID-19 that had test results returned over the weekend.

BFHD did not report any new deaths on Monday, however deaths are not generally reported over the weekend because the agencies responsible for confirming coronavirus-related deaths do not provide services over the weekend.

At last report, there were 78 deaths related to COVID-19, with 61 deaths in Benton County, and 17 fatalities in Franklin County.

In Walla Walla County, one new case was reported over the weekend, for a county-wide total of 107 cases and two total deaths related to the virus.

So far, 21 of Washington State's 39 counties have received permission from the state health department to move forward into Phase 2 of Gov. Jay Inslee's plan to reopen the state economy. Those include Adams, Grant, Whitman, and Spokane Counties in eastern Washington.

Kittitas County has applied for a variance, but the request is on hold after a recent outbreak of the illness.

To apply for a Phase 2 variance, counties must report an average of less than 10 new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents over a 14-day period.

The application process requires approval from the local board of health, local hospitals, and the county commission or council.

Each county must also demonstrate they have adequate local hospital bed capacity and adequate personal protective supplies to keep health care workers safe.

The application must include plans for:

• Making testing available and accessible to everyone in the county with symptoms.
• Staffing case investigations and contact tracing.
• Housing people in isolation or quarantine who can’t or don’t want to do so at home.
• Providing case management services to those in isolation and quarantine.
• Responding rapidly to outbreaks in congregate settings.

The state's secretary of health reviews the applications, and will either approve the request, approve the application with modifications, or deny the application.

If circumstances change within the jurisdiction, the variance can be revoked.