A total of 182 COVID-19 cases were reported to the Clark County Combined Health District in the last week.
Clark County was again at a high transmission level on Thursday, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), which designates that by a red color on the CDC map.
“We’re seeing people get re-infected,” Patterson said. “We once again have a new strain.”
An omicron subvariant, BB1, accounts for 40% of COVID-19 cases nationwide, Patterson said. A month ago, it only accounted for 1% of cases nationwide.
“It’s taking over, it’s the predominant COVID strain,” Patterson said.
State studies are showing that the BB1 subvariant has shown significant ability to evade immunity built by previous infections, Patterson said. The subvariant is not as successful at evading B-cell and T-cell immunity built through vaccination.
The county had more than 20 COVID-19 hospitalizations per 100,000 people over the last week, Patterson said.
The health district has typically seen a rise in COVID-19 cases following nearly every major holiday, according to Patterson.
Many people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Clark County have been reporting bad, cold-like symptoms, but others who are at-risk for severe illness are at a higher risk for hospitalization, Patterson said.
“We know that’s an issue across our area,” Patterson said. “We just need to understand it’s still out there, it’s not gone away. And people still need to be careful.”
Patterson said people entering public spaces should consider wearing a facemask as an added layer of protection against the virus.
The Clark County Combined Health District offers vaccine appointments and COVID-19 tests kits. The health district can be contacted at 937-390-5600.
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