Clark County reported a significant decrease in its COVID-19 disease activity rate this week as the omicron variant’s surge continues to ebb.
The COVID-19 activity rate, which measures new cases per 100,000 population over 14 days, decreased from 1,627.6 per 100,000 last week to 1,017 as of Thursday. Any rate higher than 200 is considered high by health officials.
While the disease activity rate is rapidly declining, it remains roughly twice as high as it was during September’s delta wave, according to Clark County Public Health data.
Despite slowing disease activity, hospitalizations increased this week, and hospitals remain near capacity.
New hospitalizations this week rose from 22 per 100,000 residents over seven days to 24 per 100,000 over seven days, according to Public Health.
As of Tuesday, 97 percent of Clark County’s hospital beds and 96.2 percent of its ICU beds were occupied. Hospitals reported that 136 beds — accounting for 26.8 percent of hospital beds and 26.9 percent of ICU beds — were occupied by people with or suspected of having COVID-19.
Eighteen new deaths were reported in Clark County this week. The deaths include one man and one woman in their 40s, one man in his 50s, one man in his 60s, five men and two women in their 70s and two men and five women age 80 or older.
The new deaths push the total number of people who have died from COVID-19 in Clark County to 730. Deaths are added to the county’s total typically 10 to 12 days after they occur.
Public Health reported a total of 2,219 new cases this week, with 1,897 confirmed by molecular testing, for 68,718 to date, and 322 using antigen testing, for 14,293.
Combined, the new cases work out to an average of about 317 new cases per day, down from about 494 new cases per day last week. The actual number of new cases is likely higher due to unreported at-home tests, according to Clark County Public Health officials.
The number of active cases still in their isolation period decreased to 2,361 this week, down from 3,483 last week, according to Public Health.
The Washington State Department of Health reported that as of Feb. 4, 63.9 percent of Clark County residents age 5 or older were fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
