Clark County’s recent COVID-19 case rate saw its first increase after five weeks of decline.
Clark County Public Health’s Sept. 1 report included 91.5 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population over seven days, slightly up from the 88.9 per 100,000 reported the prior week. The recent case rate had decreased for more than a month before the latest uptick.
Though cases rose locally, the recent case rate statewide dropped. As of Sept. 1, Washington had 115.2 cases per 100,000 population, down from 134.5 per 100,000 the week prior.
Recent case rates lag behind the most recent counts of cases. The health department’s most recent case rate was based on activity from Aug. 16 to Aug. 22.
The health department reported 374 new COVID-19 cases between Aug. 25 and Sept. 1, fewer than the 494 new COVID-19 cases between Aug. 18 and Aug. 24. In total, there have been 104,040 confirmed and probable cases in Clark County since the outbreak began.
Clark County Public Health’s Sept. 1 report included three additional confirmed COVID-19 deaths and two deaths suspected to be due to the disease, lower than the four confirmed deaths and two suspected deaths reported the prior week.
Clark County Public Health did not break down deaths by age and gender in its Sept. 1 update. The deaths bring Clark County’s total to 906, which includes 777 confirmed and 129 suspected to be due to the disease.
The number of COVID-19 patients occupying hospital beds in Clark County decreased. As of Sept. 1, 9% of beds had either patients with confirmed COVID-19 or patients awaiting test results, down from 11.7% reported on Aug. 25. The number of intensive care unit (ICU) beds occupied by COVID-19 patients and patients awaiting test results was 2.2%, lower than the 4.3% reported the week prior.
New COVID-19 hospital admissions decreased in the latest data. In its Sept. 1 report, the health department reported 8 admissions per 100,000 population in the past seven days, down from 8.8 admissions per 100,000 population reported on Aug. 25.
Total hospital bed occupancy in the county decreased as of Sept. 1. The health department reported 96.4% of hospital beds and 93.3% of ICU beds in the county were occupied, compared to 98.1% of all beds and 95.7% of the ICU beds on Aug. 25.
Clark County’s statewide share of COVID-19 cases stayed about the same, while the death percentage increased slightly as of Sept. 1 compared to the prior week. The Washington State Department of Health reported the county had about 5.8% of cases and 6.5% of deaths.
