As virus cases stack up, numbers tell the story

Wyatt Stayner, The Columbian, Vancouver, Wash.
·2 min read

Mar. 7—Clark County's first confirmed case of COVID-19 came on March 6, 2020.

In the year since that case, Clark County has surpassed more than 18,000 confirmed cases and has tallied nearly 230 confirmed and suspected deaths from coronavirus. Washington surpassed 5,000 deaths on Wednesday.

In the last year, folks have learned what physical distancing means, and how to properly wear a mask. The county has seen businesses close as some establishments couldn't withstand the drop-off in business related to the pandemic and state restrictions.

More than 1,000 people have been hospitalized locally for the virus, according to the state Department of Health, and some people struggle with virus symptoms long after their COVID-19 infection subsides.

In general, small gatherings have been one of the biggest culprits for COVID-19 spread in Clark County, according to Clark County Public Health data.

The county experienced its worst months of the pandemic in November, December and January, an uptick in cases and deaths likely tied to holiday gatherings that were advised against by health experts and officials.

In those three months, the county recorded 12,079 of its cases and 119 of its confirmed and suspected deaths. That means those three months account for close to 67 percent of the county's total case load and more than half of the county's total deaths, as of March 4.

In November, the county tallied 3,780 cases and 30 deaths. In December, cases peaked at 4,235 confirmed and deaths totaled 30. In January, cases dropped slightly to 4,064 confirmed and deaths peaked at 59.

In February there were 1,182 confirmed cases and 13 deaths, a substantial drop off from the winter. That trend has continued so far in March, as the county and country sees a decline in cases and deaths.

That trend, however, has become more of a national plateau lately, and health officials have advised states against loosening restrictions too much. Despite a year of drastic change, the path to beating coronavirus remains the same: wear a mask, wash your hands, stay distant, and when it is your turn, get vaccinated.