Six more residents test positive for coronavirus, Whatcom health department says Friday
Six more Whatcom County residents have tested positive for COVID-19, the new coronavirus, according to information released Friday, March 27, by the Whatcom County Health Department.
The health department didn’t include information on the gender or age range of the new cases, saying it would no longer provide those details because the number of confirmed cases has increased.
The newest numbers increase the total confirmed cases in Whatcom County to 92 as of noon Friday. Four people who tested positive in the county have died, but no new deaths were included in the latest numbers.
The number of confirmed cases in Whatcom County is up from 86 as of Thursday, March 26, when the county reported 20 new cases and two deaths.
The health department also began releasing the number of confirmed cases by age, with the following age groups:
▪ 0-19: 1.
▪ 20-29: 5.
▪ 30-39: 17.
▪ 40-49: 12.
▪ 50-59: 14
▪ 60-69: 9.
▪ 70-79: 8.
▪ 80-plus: 25.
▪ Unknown age: 1.
All four Whatcom County residents who have died after testing positive were at least 60, and three were 80 or older.
As of Thursday, Shuksan Health Care Center in Bellingham had 27 residents and 18 staff that has tested positive for the respiratory illness, according to reports by the Whatcom health department and Shuksan.
The health department also reported Thursday that there have been confirmed cases at a small number of long-term care facilities in the county, and that it is working with those facilities to determine testing and conduct contact investigations.
The Lummi Public Health Department has reported that it has had 11 community members test positive for coronavirus, including three new cases on Thursday.
More than 576,000 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed worldwide, with more than 26,800 deaths as of Friday afternoon, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States has more than 94,000 confirmed cases — the most reported cases of any nation — with at least 1,438 deaths.
Overall, the Washington State Department of Health reported 3,207 cases and 147 deaths as of Thursday afternoon.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhat you should know about the coronavirus
COVID-19, the new coronavirus, is a disease caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2.
The disease is spread through contact between people within six feet of each other, especially through coughing and sneezing that expels respiratory droplets that land in the mouths or noses of people nearby.
Although most of the cases have been mild, the disease is especially dangerous for the elderly and others with weaker immune systems.
Click the drop-down icon in the upper right of this card for more information on symptoms and how to stop its spread.
What you can do
Here’s what you can do to protect yourself and others from COVID-19, according to the Whatcom County Health Department.
▪ Keep six feet between yourself and others when in public.
▪ Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
▪ Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth with hands that haven’t been washed.
▪ Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, throw the tissue in the trash and then wash your hands.
▪ Stay home if you feel sick. Avoid others who are sick.
▪ If your symptoms are severe and require medical care, call your doctor first.
This story was originally published March 27, 2020 at 12:16 PM.
