Clark County adds 37 new COVID-19 cases, no new fatalities

Clark County Public Health reported 37 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Wednesday as the county’s infection rate continues to rise well above the level that would allow for a more relaxed reopening phase.

The 37 new cases brings the county’s total to 1,090 confirmed cases to date. The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 remained at 22 on Tuesday, and the number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 to date held steady at 29.

The county has seen a resurgence of COVID-19 cases, as has much of the United States, and that trend is reflected in an increasingly large infection rate.

The rate, which is based on the total number of cases confirmed in the past two weeks and the county’s population, has reached 52 cases per 100,000 population. The Washington Department of Health requires that infection rates be below 25 cases per 100,000 population before a county can move into the more relaxed Phase 3 of the state’s “Safe Start” reopening plan.

Clark County submitted its application to enter Phase 3 of the reopening plan on June 26, but on July 2, Gov. Jay Inslee announced a statewide two-week pause on all applications as COVID-19 cases began to surge.

Public Health reported that 68 percent of the county’s hospital beds were occupied as of Wednesday, with 4.9 percent of licensed hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients.