Whatcom reports one new coronavirus case Friday and releases new location data
The Whatcom County Health Department reported only one new positive test for COVID-19 on Friday, May 29, as the county inches its way closer toward beginning to re-open from the coronavirus pandemic. The county also released new data on where people who test positive reside within the county.
With 36 confirmed cases reported by the health department since May 16 and a population of more than 225,000, Whatcom County is averaging 16 reported cases per 100,000 people over the past 14 days — a drop of nearly a full case from Thursday, May 28, but still well above the 10 new cases per 100,000 residents the county needs to average to apply for a variance to move to Phase 2 of Gov. Jay Inslee’s Safe Start plan to re-open.
Overall, the county has had 385 residents test positive for COVID-19 during the pandemic, according to health department data. The number of coronavirus-related deaths remained steady at 33 for the fourth-straight day.
The Washington State Department of Health, which uses different reporting criteria than the county, reported Whatcom County has 383 confirmed cases and 36 deaths as of Thursday night.
The county health department also Friday reported 25 more negative test results, bringing the total to 7,975 — 95.4% of the 8,360 test results that the county has reported.
St. Joseph hospital reported to The Bellingham Herald Friday that it is treating one patient who has tested positive for COVID-19 and two others who are suspected of having the respiratory illness.
As of Thursday, the Nooksack Tribal Community reported that the Nooksack Health Clinic had tested 397 people for COVID-19 — 33 more than were reported Wednesday. No Nooksack community members have tested positive, as 364 test have come back negative and 33 tests are still pending.
More than 5.8 million cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed worldwide, with more than 362,000 deaths as of Thursday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States has more than 1.7 million confirmed cases — the most reported cases of any nation — and at least 102,201 related deaths.
Overall, the Washington State Department of Health Thursday night reported 20,764 cases, 1,106 deaths and 3,413 coronavirus-related hospitalizations. Approximately 5.3% of all confirmed cases in the death have resulted in death, while 6.1% of the 343,091 tests administered have come back positive for COVID-19.
Location of cases
The Whatcom County Health Department on Friday released new data showing where confirmed cases are within the county, updating data that was first released through May 14.
The new data, which is through Thursday and released according to school district, shows most of the spread of coronavirus in the county has been heavier in the county than in Bellingham, though there were no new cases in either the Blaine or Mount Baker school districts.
A district-by-district look at the data from the past two weeks shows:
▪ Bellingham: Saw three new confirmed cases and now has 198 (1.5% growth). The district is averaging 176 cases per 100,000 residents — still the county’s highest average.
▪ Blaine: Remained at 30 cases and a rate of 171 per 100,000 residents.
▪ Ferndale: Saw seven new confirmed cases and now has 56 (14.3% growth). The district is averaging 167 cases per 100,000 residents.
▪ Lynden: Saw four new confirmed cases and now has 34 (13.3% growth). The district is averaging 168 cases per 100,000 residents.
▪ Meridian: Saw four new confirmed cases and now has 14 (40% growth). The district is averaging 130 cases per 100,000 residents.
▪ Mount Baker: Remained at 22 cases and a rate of 139 per 100,000 residents.
▪ Nooksack Valley: Saw four new confirmed cases and now has 14 (40% growth). The district is averaging 126 cases per 100,000 residents.
Phased re-opening
Washington State Secretary of Health John Wiseman approved the variance applications by Clallam and Kitsap counties to move to Phase 2 on Thursday, bringing the total of the state’s counties currently in Phase 2 to 26, according to a release from the Washington State Coronavirus Response Joint Information Center.
Thirteen counties remain in Phase 1 of the state’s phased approach to re-opening businesses and modifying physical distancing measures, including Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, King and Pierce counties.
Under Phase 1, high-risk populations are encouraged to stay home, some outdoor recreation (hunting, fishing, golf, boating and hiking) is allowed, but no public gatherings are allowed and only travel deemed essential is allowed. Businesses permitted to operate in Phase 1 include: essential businesses, existing construction projects, landscaping, automobile sales, curbside retail pickup, car washes and pet walkers.
To apply for a variance, counties must have an average of less than 10 new cases per 100,000 residents over a 14-day period.
The application process requires support from the local health officer, the local board of health, local hospitals, and the county commission/council.
Each county must demonstrate they have adequate local hospital bed capacity as well as adequate PPE supplies to keep health care workers safe. The application must include plans for:
▪ Making testing available and accessible to everyone in the county with symptoms.
▪ Staffing case investigations and contact tracing.
▪ Housing people in isolation or quarantine who can’t or don’t want to do so at home.
▪ Providing case management services to those in isolation and quarantine.
▪ Responding rapidly to outbreaks in congregate settings.
The variance requests are reviewed by the secretary of health, who can approve the plans as submitted, approve with modifications or deny the application. If circumstances change within the jurisdiction, the variance can be revoked.
Skagit applying for variance
Skagit County is planning to apply for a variance to move to Phase 2 of the Safe Start guidelines on Friday, according to a story by the Skagit Valley Herald, as its number of new coronavirus cases has reached the required level.
According to the story, Skagit County reported only 11 new positive cases between May 15-28 and, with a population of 127,000, that is below the mandated 10 new cases per 100,000 residents in a 14-day period.
Skagit County actually has had more confirmed cases than Whatcom County over the length of the pandemic with 428, according to the state Department of Health, while the state reports Whatcom has 383. Skagit has had less than half the number of deaths, though, with 15.
Snohomish also seeking Phase 2
Snohomish County also is preparing to apply for a variance to the Safe Star guidelines on Friday, according to a Seattle Times story, even though the county’s new coronavirus cases have not dropped below required levels.
According to the Times story, Snohomish reports that it has established sufficient hospital bed capacity and supplies of personal protective equipment and has set up enough testing, contact tracing and quarantine facilities to meet the other requirements of Phase 2.
But like many of the state’s other largest counties, Snohomish hasn’t been able to get its number of new cases to the levels required by the governor’s order so that it can begin loosing restrictions on businesses and other social interactions.
The Times reported that in a teleconference Thursday, Gov. Jay Inslee said he would not allow Snohomish to move to Phase 2 yet, but hinted that changes could be on the way that could allow counties to move to Phase 2 sooner.
“In the next few days we will have more decisions about June 1 and where we go from here,” Inslee said, according to the Times. “So I think there will probably be some pleased folks to some degree.”
Inslee may address those potential changes and any other changes to the processes for reopening on Friday.
Care facility testing
The state Department of Health announced Thursday that it has ordered that COVID-19 tests be offered to all consenting residents at all nursing homes and long-term care facilities and that staff at those facilities are required to be tested.
According to the Joint Information Center release, these tests should be completed by June 12, and residents and staff in assisted living facilities with memory care units will be tested by June 26.
Staff at these facilities includes those involved in health care, personal care, social, administrative, clerical, dietary, environmental or any other kind of services in the facility, according to the order.
The state will provide test kits and personal protective equipment for administering the tests to every facility at no cost, and facilities do not have to pay laboratories for tests performed on residents or staff, according to the order.
