After nine weeks of declining new cases of COVID-19 in Clark County, the rate of infection has dropped to levels the county hasn’t seen since its health department started tracking numbers a year ago.
Clark County Public Health’s weekly update on July 15 showed there were 53.3 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population in 14 days, down from 67.5 cases per 100,000 the prior week. The current rate has dipped below the previous lowest rate of 63.1 per 100,000 reported in late August of last year.
The county did see an increase of COVID-19 hospitalizations, as the health department reported 2.2 admissions per 100,000 in the past seven days, up from 1.8 per 100,000.
The county saw 140 more confirmed COVID-19 cases reported between July 8 and July 15, bringing the total to 24,680 since the outbreak began. Clark County Public Health also reported 11 more probable COVID-19 cases based on antigen testing. As of July 15, there were 161 active cases of the disease, which are ones still in the isolation period.
Clark County Public Health reported six more confirmed COVID-19 deaths between July 8 and July 15. Two women older than 80, a woman in her 60s, a man in his 60s, and two men in their 50s died, all of whom had underlying health conditions. The deaths put the county’s total at 292, including 260 confirmed and 32 suspected to be due to the disease.
The health department reported that 3.6 percent of hospital beds in the county were occupied by COVID-19 patients either confirmed to have the disease or awaiting test results.
Clark County maintains about the same proportion of COVID-19 cases and deaths statewide. Washington State Department of Health data showed the county made up about 5.9 percent of cases and 4.9 percent of deaths in the state.
