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Clark County reports five new COVID-19 deaths since Friday

New fatalities come as issues with state database underreports new case totals Monday

By Mark Bowder, Columbian Metro Editor
Published: May 24, 2021, 1:35pm

Clark County reported five new deaths from COVID-19 since Friday as problems with a state database hindered an accurate assessment of disease activity Monday.

The deaths were a woman in her 30s, though it is unknown if she had underlying conditions, as well as a woman in her 50s, a woman in her 60s, a man in his 70s and a man age 80 or older, all with underlying conditions.

Their deaths, which occurred 10 to 12 days prior to being added to the county’s tally, bring the total number to 269. The deaths reported Monday equal the total number of deaths reported last week.

Public Health said a scheduled maintenance on a state database meant promising-looking numbers on new cases Monday represented an undercount of actual cases. Those cases not in Monday’s tally will be added to counts later this week.

Public Health reported 99 new cases over three days, with 90 cases confirmed by molecular (PCR) testing and nine probable cases identified through antigen testing.

The number of active confirmed and probable cases still in their isolation period fell to 464 on Monday, down from 641 on Friday.

Hospitalizations rose, with 42 people hospitalized with COVID-19 on Monday, up from 40 on Friday, and five people hospitalized awaiting test results, up from three on Friday, according to Public Health data.

Public Health reported that the percentage of Clark County ICU beds occupied by any patient, a measure of hospital capacity, rose to 93.8 percent Monday, up from 82.8 percent Friday. People with or suspected of having COVID-19 occupied 8.1 percent of the county’s licensed beds Monday, up from 7.4 percent Friday.

Details about vaccination status are not released with new reports of cases or deaths, but Public Health said that as of May 17, health officials had identified only 92 cases of COVID-19 in people who were fully vaccinated, or about 0.06 percent of the 150,200 county residents who were fully vaccinated as of that date.

Of those 92 so-called “breakthrough” cases, 61 developed COVID-19 symptoms, eight were hospitalized and one died, according to Public Health.

Anyone age 16 or older is eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19, and anyone age 12 or older is eligible to be vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine, though a parent or legal guardian must accompany minors ages 12 to 15. Underage teens are advised to check with vaccination sites about what sort of parental consent might be needed.

Vaccinations are available without an appointment at a number of sites in Clark County, including the Tower Mall vaccination site, 5403 E. Mill Plain Blvd. in Vancouver. A mass vaccination site near Ridgefield at the Clark County Event Center at the Fairgrounds is scheduled to close May 28.

More information about opportunities for vaccination is available on Clark County Public Health’s COVID-19 vaccine information website. Appointments at a number of locations throughout Clark County can be scheduled through the Washington Department of Health Vaccine Locator.

Those who do not have internet access or need help scheduling an appointment can call Public Health from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at 888-225-4625. Call center representatives can assist with scheduling. Language assistance is available.

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Columbian Metro Editor