Grant, Adams counties COVID-19 numbers rising quickly

MOSES LAKE/OTHELLO – In the past month, COVID-19 cases have almost doubled in Grant County and risen by almost 400 cases in Adams County.

The number of cases in Grant County on Monday, Oct. 26, was 3,516, compared to the 6,429 cases reported on Monday, as reported by the Grant County Health Department via its daily updates.

This is not the first time cases in Grant County have doubled in a month. There only have been three times since the end of March cases haven’t doubled from one month to another. Those exceptions were April to May, August to September and September to October.

As of Monday, Royal City had 375 reported cases, Warden had 253 cases and Mattawa had 575 cases. The area in Grant County south of Warden had 84 reported cases. Quincy reported 1,036 cases, Ephrata had 390 cases, while Moses Lake had 1,757 and Soap Lake had 106 cases. In the north part of the county, the Grand Coulee area had 18 cases, the Coulee City area had 18 cases and the Wilson Creek area had 11 cases.

On Monday, 15 patients were hospitalized. A total of 32 deaths were reported, with six more deaths pending review. Of the 6,429 reported COVID-19 cases, 3,469 patients have recovered.

In the newborn to 18-year-old range, 645 patients have tested positive. Of those 19 to 40 years old, 2,064 cases have been reported. One thousand two hundred eighty-nine patients in the 41-60 age range had positive tests. Of those in the 61-80 age range, 485 cases have been reported. Ninety-nine patients 80 years old and older have tested positive.

On Monday, the Adams County Health Department reported there were 1,325 cases of COVID-19, 12 deaths and eight patients hospitalized. The total number of tests was 6,535. Of those, 4,955 cases were negative. One hundred seventy tests were pending. So far, 1,063 patients have recovered.

Of those testing positive, 236 were 19-year-olds and younger. Four hundred ninety-two were 20 to 39 years old. Of those in the 40 to 59 age range, 382 cases were reported. In the 60 to 79 range, 175 people tested positive. Forty patients have been 80 years old or older.

Of the positive test results, Othello had 1,241 on Monday, Nov. 23. Lind had nine, Ritzville had 59, Washtucna had four, Hatton had 11 and Benge had one. Of note, the numbers in Ritzville have jumped from 45 reported cases on Monday, Oct. 26 to 559 on Monday, Nov. 23.

On Friday, the Grant County Health District issued a release stating nine COVID-19-associated deaths had occurred at the McKay Healthcare & Rehab Center in Soap Lake. Five of those deaths have been confirmed to be related to COVID-19 and four more pending review. The confirmed deaths bring the county death toll to 32. Once the pending deaths are confirmed, the number of deaths will be updated.

It was also reported that Lake Ridge Center and Columbia Crest Center, assisted-living facilities in Moses Lake, had large outbreaks.

The health district noted that COVID-19 cases reported at two long-term care facilities, one in Moses Lake and another in Ephrata, have been traced to a large wedding recently held. In the press release, the GCHD stated large gatherings where COVID-19 was present can quickly spread the virus into the community and affect vulnerable individuals.