The recent COVID-19 case rate in Clark County declined further in the latest report as the number of cases and deaths reported in the county increased.
Clark County Public Health’s Jan. 5 report included 42.3 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population over seven days, down from the 61.3 per 100,000 reported on Dec. 29.
The statewide case rate also dropped. As of Jan. 5, Washington had 58.1 cases per 100,000 population, down from 74.5 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 Dec. 20 to Dec. 26.
As the case rate decreased, the weekly number of cases increased. The health department reported 224 new COVID-19 cases between Dec. 29 and Jan. 5, more than the 189 reported between Dec. 22 and Dec. 29. In total, there have been 110,161 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 Jan. 5 report included nine additional confirmed COVID-19 deaths and one death suspected to be due to the disease since its Dec. 29 update. The number is more than the five confirmed deaths reported last week. The deaths bring Clark County’s total to 995, which includes 847 confirmed and 148 suspected deaths.
The number of COVID-19 patients occupying hospital beds in Clark County increased. As of Jan. 5, 14.3% of beds had either patients with confirmed COVID-19 or patients awaiting test results, up from 13% reported on Dec. 29. The number of intensive care unit (ICU) beds occupied by COVID-19 patients and patients awaiting test results landed at 16.1%, more than the 13.8% the prior week.
New COVID-19 hospital admissions dropped in the latest data. In its Jan. 5 report, the health department reported 7.2 admissions per 100,000 population in the past seven days, down from 7.4 admissions per 100,000 population reported on Dec. 29.
Clark County’s statewide share of COVID-19 cases and deaths stayed about the same as the prior week.The Washington State Department of Health reported the county had about 5.8% of cases and 6.6% of deaths.
