Clark County’s latest rate of recent COVID-19 cases decreased slightly for the first time in nearly two months.
Clark County Public Health’s June 2 report showed 217.3 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population over seven days, a slight drop from the 217.5 per 100,000 reported the prior week.
The case rate previously increased for seven weeks straight, though it still remains as high as it was in February. The county’s average was lower than the rate statewide, which is 268.2 per 100,000 in the past 14 days.
Recent case rates lag behind the most recent counts of cases. The health department’s most recent case rate was based on activity from May 17 to May 23.
The health department reported 754 new cases between May 26 and June 2, less than the 1,157 reported between May 19 and May 26.
On June 2, Clark County Public Health stopped reporting cases divided by positive tests confirmed by molecular testing and probable cases based on antigen tests. In total, there have been 94,131 confirmed and probable cases in Clark County since the outbreak began.
Clark County Public Health’s June 2 report included two additional confirmed COVID-19 deaths and three suspected to be due to the disease. The confirmed deaths were a woman in her 70s and a woman in her 40s. The suspected deaths were two men older than 80 and a man in his 60s.
The deaths put Clark County’s total at 816, which includes 715 confirmed and 101 suspected to be due to COVID-19.
The number of COVID-19 patients occupying hospital beds in Clark County dropped. As of June 2, 9% of beds had either patients with confirmed COVID-19 or patients awaiting test results, less than the 15% reported the week prior. The number of intensive care unit (ICU) beds occupied by COVID-19 patients was 11.3%, down from the 31.5% reported on May 26.
New COVID-19 hospital admissions saw an increase in the latest data. In its June 2 report, the health department reported 8 admissions per 100,000 population in the past seven days, up from 7.8 admissions per 100,000 population reported May 26.
Though fewer beds had COVID-19 patients, total hospital bed occupancy in the county saw an increase. The health department reported 98% of hospital beds and 96.2% of ICU beds were occupied in the county, compared to 94.7% of all beds and 84.6% of ICU beds on May 26.
Clark County’s statewide share of confirmed COVID-19 cases saw a slight drop and deaths stayed about the same as of June 2 compared to the prior week. The Washington State Department of Health reported the county had about 5.9% of cases and 6.3% of deaths.
