Clark County reports 23 new COVID-19 cases as total rises to 533

An additional 23 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Clark County, bringing the county’s total confirmed cases to 533.

Clark County Public Health released the new numbers Wednesday afternoon. The number of deaths remains unchanged at 25 but the number of people hospitalized has risen by two people to eight total. At least 9,000 people have been tested.

Of the 23 new cases, 22 are linked to Firestone Pacific Foods, a food processor in Fruit Valley. Since Tuesday, five more employees and 17 close contacts have tested positive.

In total, 74 workers, four of which are not Clark County residents, and 32 close contacts have been confirmed to have COVID-19.  The company employs about 150 people at two facilities in west Vancouver.

The uptick in cases has put on hold the county’s application to move to phase 2 of reopening under Gov. Jay Inslee’s guidelines.

Statewide, 20,181 people have be confirmed to have novel coronavirus. The state has seen 1,078 deaths and more than 330,000 people have been tested for the disease.

This story will be updated.