2nd COVID-19 death reported in Spokane County as cases eclipse 100

Spokane County reported its second death related to COVID-19 Saturday, along with confirmation of 22 new positive tests.

The additional cases brought Spokane County to a total of 108. Nine people were hospitalized with the disease as of Saturday afternoon.

A woman in her 50s died from the disease in a hospital Saturday, marking the second local death within a day after the first, according to the Spokane Regional Health District.

The first reported death was a hospitalized man in his 80s.

Spokane public health officials said Friday the health district will not release where COVID-19 deaths occur or whether the people who die have underlying health conditions.

King County’s public health department released that information about individual deaths until Tuesday, when it reported 94 deaths. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department did so for its first two local deaths.

The Spokane Regional Health District also announced Saturday the drive-thru COVID-19 screening site at the Spokane County Fair & Expo Center will close two hours earlier each day. It will now be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the weekend.