The percentage of positive COVID-19 tests leapt to 14.23 percent for the most recent reported period as the pandemic’s autumn surge took hold on the region, according to new testing data from Clark County Public Health.
The new testing data was released Tuesday, with the county reporting two new deaths, 160 new cases and an infection rate of 359.26 new cases per 100,000 population over two weeks.
The two deaths was a woman age 80 or older with an underlying health condition and another woman age 80 or older with no underlying health conditions, according to Public Health. Their deaths, the first this week, bring the county’s total deaths from COVID-19 to 91.
The pace of deaths has been accelerating. There were only eight days between the 80th death and the 90th death in Clark County. It had taken 17 days to go from 70 to 80 deaths.
Hospitalizations rose Tuesday, according to Public Health. The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 rose to 69, and the number of people hospitalized awaiting test results rose to 17. As of Tuesday, 13.7 percent of the county’s licensed beds were occupied by people with or suspected of having COVID-19.
The number of active cases, which counts people in their isolation period, dropped to 440 as of Tuesday, according to Public Health data.
Public Health data regarding testing results tends to lag, and the latest numbers represent the period from Nov. 1-7.
During that period, the county recorded 844 positive tests out of 5,932 tests administered, with a total positivity rate of 14.23 percent. During that week, Clark County was averaging about 75 new cases per day, with 527 new cases reported in the seven days ending Nov. 6.
COVID-19 testing
| Date range |
Positive tests |
Total tests |
Percent positive |
| To date* |
5,939 |
145,754 |
4.07% |
| Sept. 27-Oct. 3 |
243 |
6,808 |
3.57% |
| Oct. 4-10 |
311 |
7,022 |
4.43% |
| Oct. 11-17 |
307 |
5,453 |
5.63% |
| Oct. 18-24 |
344 |
4,860 |
7.08% |
| Oct. 25-31 |
420 |
5,100 |
8.24% |
| Nov. 1-7 |
844 |
5,932 |
14.23% |
The county averaged about 158 new cases per day last week and is currently on pace for an average of about 125 new cases per day, according to Public Health data.
Clark County’s COVID-19 activity level, already considered high, pushed even higher in the past week, rising from 254.45 to 359.26 new cases per 100,000 population over 14 days. “Moderate” activity would be 25 to 75 new cases per 100,000 over 14 days, according to Washington’s health guidance for school openings.
