The recent rate of COVID-19 cases decreased slightly, but the number of patients with the disease in intensive care unit beds nearly doubled in the latest data.
Clark County Public Health’s July 28 report included 170.1 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population over seven days, down from the 178.3 per 100,000 reported the prior week.
The rate has gone back and forth between weekly increase and decrease throughout the month of July.
The recent case rate statewide also dropped this week but by a greater amount. As of July 28, Washington had 222.5 cases per 100,000 population, down from 256.7 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 July 12 to July 18.
The health department reported 715 new COVID-19 cases between July 21 and July 28, fewer than the 930 reported between July 14 and July 21. In total, there have been 101,318 confirmed and probable cases in Clark County since the outbreak began.
Clark County Public Health’s July 28 report included five additional confirmed COVID-19 deaths and one death suspected to be due to the disease, compared to four confirmed deaths and two suspected deaths reported the prior week.
The confirmed deaths included a man older than 80, a man in his 70s, two women older than 80 and a woman in her 60s. The death suspected to be due to COVID-19 was a woman in her 70s.
The deaths bring Clark County’s total to 871, including 752 confirmed and 119 suspected to be due to the disease.
The number of COVID-19 patients occupying hospital beds in Clark County increased.
As of July 28, 13.5% of beds had either patients with confirmed COVID-19 or patients awaiting test results, up from 12.6% reported July 21. The number of intensive care unit (ICU) beds occupied by COVID-19 patients was 20.6%, up from 11.8% reported the week prior.
New COVID-19 hospital admissions also rose in the latest data. In its July 28 report, the health department reported 11.6 admissions per 100,000 population in the past seven days, up from 9.4 admissions per 100,000 population reported on July 21.
Though there are more COVID-19 patients hospitalized, the total hospital bed occupancy in the county slightly dropped as of July 28. The health department reported 96.3% of hospital beds and 93.2% of ICU beds in the county were occupied, compared to 97.7% of all beds and 94.1% of ICU beds on July 21.
Clark County’s statewide share of COVID-19 cases stayed about the same while its share of deaths increased as of July 28 compared to the prior week. The Washington State Department of Health reported the county had about 5.9% of cases and 6.4% of deaths.
