The COVID-19 infection rate in Clark County continues to rise as health officials continue to urge anyone eligible to get an updated booster shot.
“The best medicine I can offer people is preventing a disease,” said Dr. Angela Collins, family medicine physician at Vancouver Clinic in Washougal.
The COVID-19 activity rate, which measures new cases per 100,000 population over seven days, rose from 74.5 on Dec. 1 to 87.5 as of Thursday, according to Clark County Public Health data.
This week, 461 new cases were reported, bringing county totals to 108,548. Public Health reported nine new deaths, bringing totals to 974. Deaths are usually recorded 10-12 days after they occur.
Clark County hospitals remain near capacity with 97.4 percent of hospital beds and 96.6 percent of intensive care beds occupied.
Patients with or suspected of having COVID-19 occupied 13.1 percent of hospital beds this week, up from 10 percent on Dec. 1. Patients with or suspected of having COVID-19 occupied 8.5 percent of ICU beds, down from 16.9 percent Dec. 1.
Hospitals across Clark County continue to report a surge of respiratory related illnesses, primarily COVID-19, flu and RSV.
Hospitals in Clark County were treating 75 people with or suspected of having COVID-19 as of this week, up from 56 people Dec. 1. The rate of new hospital admissions over seven days rose to 9.4 per 100,000, up from 8.8 last week.
If you test positive for COVID-19 with an at-home test, health officials ask that you report it to the state’s COVID-19 hotline at 1-800-525-0127. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that you stay home for at least five days upon testing positive and wear a mask if going out for five additional days.
The CDC encourages everyone 5 and older to get an updated bivalent COVID-19 booster, which is available for free all across Clark County.
“Let’s protect one another and try to reduce the spread,” Collins said.
For more information on where to schedule a vaccine or booster visit VaccineFinder.org.
