Third COVID-19 death reported in Grant County

For the second week in a row, the number of new COVID-19 cases in Grant County has declined, but a third death as a result of the virus was reported this past week.

On Friday, April 24, the Grant County Health District reported that a Mattawa man in his 50s had died from COVID-19 complications. His death brings the total death count for the county up to three.

As of Monday, April 27, 158 confirmed cases of COVID -19 had been reported. That number is up from 143 from Monday, April 20. The number was up only 15 cases, versus 22 and 32 cases from the previous two weeks.

The number of pending tests dropped to 111 on Monday. The number of negative tests has jumped from 1,260 to 1464.

Currently, eight people are hospitalized for COVID-19. Sixty people with confirmed cases have recovered.

Royal City had five new cases bringing the total up to 12. Warden remained steady with four cases. The number of cases in Mattawa was up three from last week to 38 cases.

Around the county, Quincy had 53 cases on Monday, April 27, up four cases from the week before. Ephrata had one new case, for a total of 14 cases. Moses Lake had 32 cases, up from 30 on Monday, April 20. Soap Lake held steady with four cases.

Of confirmed cases, 61 are male and 97 are female. Eleven cases are in those from birth to 18 years old. The 19- to 40-year-old age range has 64 cases. There are 54 cases in the 41- to 60-year-old age range. The 61- to 80-year-old age range has 28 cases. Only one person over 80 years old has had COVID-19.

Monday, April 27, was the third day in the past two weeks that no new cases had been reported.

In Adams County, seven new cases of COVID-19 were reported between Monday, April 20 and Monday, April 27, bringing the total to 48 confirmed cases. Across the county, 304 tests had been conducted, 239 of those being negative. Four tests are pending. So far, there have been 20 individuals presumed to have COVID-19.

Of those individuals with confirmed cases, 40 have been listed as recovered. No one is currently hospitalized.

Othello has the most confirmed cases with 43. A third case in the Lind area was reported on Monday, April 27. This is the first case in Lind for several weeks. Ritzville held steady with two cases.

Again this week, Adams County had several days where no new cases were reported.

Some people in the county may be sick with the virus but are not getting tested, and some have refused testing, Adams County Health Department Community Health Director Karen Potts said, based on anecdotal reports she received.

“People might be realizing that when you get tested, you and your family get put into quarantine,” Potts said. “A lot of people are living off one income. They now understand you can’t go back to work until you get your results back.”

While testing criteria have become more relaxed, fewer people have been requesting tests lately, Potts said. As spring seasonal work begins to ramp up, Potts said it’s possible that some are simply not requesting a test.

Health department officials are unsure how many people are actually avoiding testing as the cases have been reported to the health department only anecdotally, Potts said. Some of those who may have refused testing but are showing symptoms of the virus have been included in the county’s tally of “probable” cases.

Emry Dinman contributed to this report.

Rachal Pinkerton may be reached via email at [email protected].