The amount of weekly COVID-19 cases reported in Clark County hit the highest level yet as cases more than doubled from the previous week.
Between Dec. 30 and Jan. 6, Clark County Public Health reported 3,261 additional COVID-19 cases, up from 1,493 cases reported between Dec. 23 and Dec. 30. The recent update included 2,434 confirmed cases and 827 probable cases based on antigen tests. The county has had a total of 46,118 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 6,142 probable cases since the outbreak began.
There were 3,294 active cases as of Jan. 6, which are ones still in the isolation period. Active cases were almost double what they were a week ago.
The health department reported 715.1 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population over 14 days, accounting for a sharp increase from 437.3 the week prior. The rate has not been that high since cases have been recorded.
Clark County Public Health’s Jan. 6 report included more confirmed deaths from COVID-19 than last week, with 11 added to the tally. The deaths included a man older than 80, three men in their 70s, five men in their 60s, a man in his 30s, and a woman in her 50s.
The additional deaths put Clark County’s total at 608, which includes 559 confirmed COVID-19 deaths and 49 suspected to be because of the disease.
The number of COVID-19 patients occupying hospital beds in Clark County saw a slight increase while patients in intensive care units (ICUs) saw a larger increase as of the health department’s update. As of Jan. 6, 12.4% of beds had either patients with confirmed COVID-19 or ones awaiting test results, up from 10.1% last week. COVID-19 patients occupied 24.6% of ICU beds in the county, up from 15.4% the week prior.
New COVID-19 hospital admissions saw a decrease as Clark County Public Health reported 7.0 admissions per 100,000 population in the past seven days, down from 8.6 per 100,000 the week prior.
Total hospital bed occupancy including ICU beds increased in Clark County as of Jan. 6. The health department reported 90.2% of hospital beds and 83.1% of ICU beds were occupied in the county, compared to 85.3% and 81.5%, respectively on Dec. 30.
Clark County’s share of confirmed COVID-19 cases statewide dropped while its share of deaths remained about the same as of Jan. 6. The Washington State Department of Health reported the county had about 5.7% of confirmed cases and 6.1% of deaths in the state.
