Which Whatcom age groups are being impacted by COVID the most this summer?
Nearly two in five of Whatcom County’s new COVID-19 cases identified during the fifth month of the pandemic were diagnosed in residents between the ages of 20 and 39, The Bellingham Herald learned by analyzing data released by Whatcom Unified Command.
Residents in the 0-19 and 40-59 age groups each represented nearly another quarter of the 322 cases reported between July 10 and Aug. 10, according to the data released in Unified Command’s daily situation reports.
That means that residents 60 and older accounted for only 12.8% of all new cases between July 10 and Aug. 10.
That data is in stark contrast to where the county started. During the first month after Whatcom County’s first confirmed coronavirus case on March 10, residents 60 and older accounted for 46% of all new cases, while those younger than 40 made up only 27%.
As they have throughout the pandemic, COVID-related hospitalizations and deaths have hit Whatcom’s older residents at a much higher rate. All but one of Whatcom County’s 39 COVID-related deaths have been of residents 60 or older, while 84% of the 81 COVID-related hospitalizations reported as of Aug. 10 were for residents 40 or older.
Compared to statewide numbers released by the Washington State Department of Health, Whatcom County is seeing a higher percentage of cases in those younger than 20 (18.2% for Whatcom vs. 13% for state), while Whatcom County is lower than the state average in the 20-39 age group (35.5% vs. 39%) and the 40-59 age group (23.6% vs. 29%).
Whatcom County also is seeing a much higher percentage of COVID-related deaths in residents 80 or older (79.5%) than the state average of 51%.
A look at how the data breaks down for Whatcom County’s age groups:
Residents 0-19: Between July 10 and Aug. 10, the age group saw a 78.2% increase, representing 79 of the county’s 322 new cases (24.5%). The age group has had 180 total cases as of Aug. 10 (18.2% of county’s 989 cases) and has had two COVID-related hospitalizations (none in the past month) and zero COVID-related deaths during the pandemic.
Residents 20-39: Between July 10 and Aug. 10, the age group saw a 56.0% increase, representing 126 of the county’s 322 new cases (39.1%). The age group has had 351 total cases as of Aug. 10 (35.5% of county’s 989 cases) and has had 11 COVID-related hospitalizations (five in the past month) and zero COVID-related deaths during the pandemic.
Residents 40-59: Between July 10 and Aug. 10, the age group saw a 48.4% increase, representing 76 of the county’s 322 new cases (23.6%). The age group has had 233 total cases as of Aug. 10 (23.6% of county’s 989 cases) and has had 23 COVID-related hospitalizations (seven in the past month) and one COVID-related death (none in the past month) during the pandemic.
Residents 60-79: Between July 10 and Aug. 10, the age group saw a 32.1% increase, representing 34 of the county’s 322 new cases (10.6%). The age group has had 140 total cases as of Aug. 10 (14.2% of county’s 989 cases) and has had 27 COVID-related hospitalizations (six in the past month) and seven COVID-related deaths (none in the past month) during the pandemic.
Residents 80 and older: Between July 10 and Aug. 10, the age group saw a 9.0% increase, representing seven of the county’s 322 new cases (2.2%). The age group has had 85 total cases as of Aug. 10 (8.6% of county’s 989 cases) and has had 18 COVID-related hospitalizations (three in the past month) and 31 COVID-related deaths (none in the past month) during the pandemic.
This story was originally published August 19, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
