Clark County COVID-19 activity drops for 10th straight week

Posted

Clark County’s recent COVID-19 case rate saw a slight decline Thursday, continuing a downward trend that began on Feb. 3.

Clark County Public Health’s April 7 report showed 24.4 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population over seven days, down from the 26.2 reported the week prior. The case rate is still slightly higher than the lowest rate of 23.8 per 100,000 population recorded in July.

The health department reported 383 new cases between March 31 and April 7, fewer than the 423 reported between March 24 and March 31. The update on April 7 included 118 confirmed cases and 265 suspected cases based on antigen testing. In total, there have been 73,816 confirmed and 14,601 probable cases in Clark County since the outbreak began.

Clark County Public Health’s April 7 report tallied three more confirmed COVID-19 deaths, one fewer than the four deaths reported on March 31. In the most recent update, the health department reported two deaths suspected to be due to the disease, one fewer than reported the week prior.

The confirmed deaths included a man in his 60s, a woman older than 80 and a woman in her 70s. The suspected deaths were a man in his 40s and a woman older than 80.

The deaths put Clark County’s total at 794, including 704 confirmed and 90 suspected to be due to COVID-19.

The number of COVID-19 patients occupying hospital beds in Clark County saw an increase. As of April 7, 5.2% of beds had either patients with confirmed COVID-19 or patients awaiting test results, up from 4.1% the prior week. COVID-19 patients made up 4.7% of patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds in the county, after the health department reported there were no COVID-19 patients in the ICU on March 31.



New COVID-19 hospital admissions saw a drop in Clark County Public Health’s April 7 report. The health department reported 1.4 admissions per 100,000 population in the past seven days, down from 2.6 per 100,000 the week prior. 

Though COVID-19 patients in the hospital increased, total hospital bed occupancy in the county dropped. The health department reported 97.4% of hospital beds and 95.3% of ICU beds were occupied in the county, compared to 98.2% for both on March 31.

Clark County’s statewide share of confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths stayed about the same as of April 7 compared to the prior week. The Washington State Department of Health reported the county had about 6% of cases and 6.3% of deaths.