Clark County’s recent case rate of COVID-19 increased in the latest data continuing fluctuations in the rate seen throughout the year.
Clark County Public Health’s Feb. 2 report included 50.3 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population over seven days, up from the 43.3 per 100,000 reported on Jan. 25. The rate has not had more than two straight weeks of increase or decrease since mid-December.
The statewide case rate also rose and remains higher than Clark County’s rate. As of Feb. 2, Washington had 65.4 cases per 100,000 population, up from 55 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 Jan. 17 to Jan. 23.
The county’s weekly count of COVID-19 cases dropped based on the latest data. The health department reported 202 new COVID-19 cases between Jan. 25 and Feb. 2, less than the 267 reported between Jan. 19 and Jan. 25. In total, there have been 111,179 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. 2 report included one additional confirmed COVID-19 death and two deaths suspected to be due to the disease since its Jan. 25 update. The prior week, the health department reported four confirmed deaths and four suspected deaths. The deaths bring Clark County’s total to 1,027, which includes 865 confirmed and 162 suspected deaths.
The number of COVID-19 patients occupying hospital beds in Clark County increased in the latest data. As of Feb. 2, 9.3% of beds had either patients with confirmed COVID-19 or patients awaiting test results, up from 6.7% reported on Jan. 25. The number of intensive care unit (ICU) beds occupied by COVID-19 patients and patients awaiting test results landed at 6.4%, less than the 7.3% the prior week.
New COVID-19 hospital admissions dropped in the latest data. In its Feb. 2 report, the health department reported 5.2 admissions per 100,000 population in the past seven days, down from 8.4 admissions per 100,000 population reported on Jan. 25.
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.
