Clark County reported 681 new COVID-19 cases and seven new deaths Thursday as disease activity continues to decline.
The deaths include one person in their 50s, three people in their 60s, one person in their 70s and two people age 80 or older, putting the total number of deaths in Clark County at 545 since the pandemic began. Deaths are added to the county’s total 10 to 12 days after they occur.
The deaths came as the COVID-19 activity rate fell to 251.2 cases per 100,000 residents over 14 days, down from 279.1 last week and a peak of 549.3 as of Sept. 9, according to Clark County Public Health.
The new cases reported Thursday include 593 that were confirmed using PCR testing, for a total of 40,640 cases to date, and 88 probable cases diagnosed using antigen testing, for a total of 4,710, according to Public Health data. Combined, the new cases worked out to about 97 new cases a day, down from about 103 a day last week.
There were 770 active cases still in isolation as of Thursday, up from 737 last week.
Hospitalizations were down slightly, with 8.8 new hospital admissions per 100,000 population over seven days, down from nine per 100,000 last week, Public Health data showed.
Clark County hospitals reported that 86.4 percent of hospital beds and 75.4 percent of ICU beds were occupied as of Tuesday, with 8.4 percent of hospital beds and 13.1 percent of ICU beds occupied by people with or suspected of having COVID-19, according to the agency.
As of Nov. 24, 65.8 percent of Clark County residents ages 12 or older were fully vaccinated, according to the Washington Department of Health.
No cases of the new omicron variant have been reported in Washington yet. Still, health officials encourage all unvaccinated residents 5 years and older to get vaccinated, and that those eligible get a booster dose.
Adults 18 and older are eligible for booster doses at least two months after getting the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and at least six months after getting the second dose of Pfizer of Moderna vaccines, according to Clark County Public Health.
