COVID-19 infection rates continue to be on the decline across Clark County, showing a decrease in new cases for the sixth week in a row, according to the latest data from Clark County Public Health.
The COVID-19 activity rate, which measures new cases per 100,000 population over seven days, decreased from 47.3 last week to 43.1 as of Thursday, according to Public Health data.
To date, 106,587 cases have been reported in Clark County, with 259 new cases this week, according to Public Health data. Six new deaths were reported this week, bringing county totals to 949.
The number of reported cases is likely an undercount due to at-home testing and other factors that lead to under-reporting, Clark County Public Health Director Dr. Alan Melnick said at a Board of Health meeting Wednesday.
Hospitalization rates of those with or suspected of having COVID-19 slightly increased this week.
Clark County hospitals remain near capacity. As of Thursday, 98.4 percent of hospital beds were occupied, up from 96.6 percent last week and 97.6 percent the week before, according to Public Health data. It showed that 94.9 percent of intensive care unit beds were occupied, down from 95.9 percent last week and 96.3 percent the week before.
Patients with or suspected of having COVID-19 accounted for 7.3 percent of hospital beds, slightly up from 7.1 percent last week, while 10.2 percent of ICU beds were occupied by patients with or suspected of having COVID-19, up from 8.2 percent last week.
Hospitals in Clark County were treating 41 people with or suspected of having COVID-19 as of this week, up from 37 last week and down from 46 the week before. The rate of new hospital admissions over seven days decreased to 4 per 100,000, down from 5.2 last week.
The county continues to remain in the low-risk category for disease transmission, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, though health officials continue to urge those who feel sick to stay home and take a COVID-19 test.
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 CDC 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 recommends that everyone 5 years and older get an updated bivalent COVID-19 booster, which is safe to get along with a flu vaccine, according to Melnick.
COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are available all across the county. For more information on where to schedule a vaccine or booster visit www.vaccines.gov.
