Whatcom County reports surge of positive tests related to coronavirus with 10 Saturday

Eleven new positive test results for COVID-19 were reported Friday-Saturday, May 29-30, by the Whatcom County Health Department.

Overall, the county has had 395 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 fifth-straight day.

The Washington State Department of Health, which uses different reporting criteria than the county, reported Friday night that Whatcom County has 383 confirmed cases and 36 deaths.

The county health department also reported Saturday 35 more negative test results, bringing the total to 8,010 — 95.3% of the 8,405 test results that the county reported have come back negative.

St. Joseph hospital reported to The Bellingham Herald Saturday that it is treating one patient who has tested positive for COVID-19 and have no other patients suspected of having the respiratory illness.

It was reported Friday evening, May 29, that a crew member from an American Seafoods fishing vessel docked in Bellingham tested positive for COVID-19 and was admitted to St. Joseph hospital Friday, however, it is not clear if that positive case is included in the 10 reported Saturday by the health department.

More than 5.9 million cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed worldwide, with more than 366,000 deaths as of Saturday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States has more than 1.7 million confirmed cases — the most reported cases of any nation — with at least 101,711 deaths.

Overall, the Washington State Department of Health reported 21,071 cases and 1,111 deaths as of Friday evening.

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.

In a press conference Friday afternoon, Inslee announced new benchmarks that counties must meet for more retail stores to open and for services such as hair salons to resume operation.

New standards for controlling infection spread and the ability to diagnose and treat patients include fewer than 25 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population over 14 days, 15 more than the earlier standard of 10.

As of Monday, May 25, 2020, Whatcom County had 37 new cases over the previous two weeks. By Friday, that number had dropped to 16 cases per 100,000. With the Friday-Saturday numbers, Whatcom County as seen 39 new cases in the last 14 days, for just over 17 cases per 100,00.

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.

Bellingham Herald Reporter David Rasbach contributed to this story.