Clark County’s recent COVID-19 activity dips slightly

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Clark County experienced a slight decrease in its recent COVID-19 case rate, while the number of patients with the disease occupying hospital beds increased.

Clark County Public Health’s Feb. 23 report included 42.9 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population over seven days, down from the 45.5 per 100,000 reported on Feb. 16. 

The statewide case rate also dropped and remains higher than Clark County’s rate. As of Feb. 23, Washington had 65.5 cases per 100,000 population, down from 69 per 100,000 the prior week.

Recent case rates lag behind the most recent counts of cases. The health department’s most recent case rate was based on activity from Feb. 7 to Feb. 13.

The county’s weekly count of COVID-19 cases rose based on the latest data. The health department reported 213 new COVID-19 cases between Feb. 16 and Feb. 23, which was more than the 193 cases reported between Feb. 9 and Feb. 16. In total, there have been 111,829 confirmed and probable cases in Clark County since the outbreak began, although that number does not include at-home tests, which often go unreported.



Clark County Public Health’s Feb. 23 report included one additional confirmed COVID-19 death and four deaths suspected to be due to the disease since its Feb. 16 update. The prior week, the health department reported six confirmed deaths and two suspected deaths. The deaths bring Clark County’s total to 1,046, which includes 874 confirmed and 172 suspected deaths.

The number of COVID-19 patients occupying hospital beds in Clark County increased in the latest data. As of Feb. 23, 21.7% of beds had either patients with confirmed COVID-19 or patients awaiting test results, more than the 17.6% reported on Feb. 16. The number of intensive care unit (ICU) beds occupied by COVID-19 patients and patients awaiting test results landed at 26.4%, more than the 9.4% from the prior week.

New COVID-19 hospital admissions slightly dropped in the latest data. In its Feb. 23 report, the health department reported 5 admissions per 100,000 population in the past seven days, down from 5.2 admissions per 100,000 population reported on Feb. 16.

Clark County’s statewide share of COVID-19 cases and deaths stayed about the same compared to the prior week. The Washington State Department of Health reported the county had about 5.8% of cases and 6.7% of deaths.