Whatcom County has dealt with COVID-19 for six months. Here’s a look at the milestones
Thursday, Sept. 10, marked six months since Whatcom County announced that it had its first confirmed case of COVID-19. A look back at some benchmarks over the past six months:
March 10: First Whatcom confirmed case announced.
March 13: Second Whatcom confirmed case announced.
March 17: Fifth Whatcom confirmed case announced.
March 18: Whatcom Unified Command is activated and announces it’s forming an international task force to deal with the impending closure of the U.S.-Canada border.
March 19: First Whatcom death related to COVID-19 announced.
March 20: 10th confirmed Whatcom case announced. Whatcom Unified Command announces the Lighthouse Mission’s Drop-In Center is moving to Bellingham High School to promote social distancing among those seeking shelter.
March 21: Second Whatcom death related to COVID-19 announced. Whatcom Unified Command announces that three residents at the Shuksan Healthcare Center tested positive for coronavirus. U.S. Canadian border closes to non-essential travel for one month — a move that has since been extended five times.
March 23: 25th confirmed Whatcom case announced as county reports 34 new cases — its largest single-day increase so far. Gov. Jay Inslee announces his Stay Home, Stay Healthy order to slow the spread of COVID-19.
March 24: 50th Whatcom confirmed case announced.
March 28: 100th Whatcom confirmed case announced.
March 29: Fifth Whatcom death related to COVID-19 announced.
April 2: 150th Whatcom confirmed case announced.
April 5: 200th Whatcom confirmed case announced. Tenth Whatcom death related to COVID-19 also announced.
April 6: Six Whatcom deaths related to COVID-19 are reported — the county’s single-day high so far during the pandemic. Whatcom Unified Command announces that it is preparing an isolation and quarantine facility at the Byron Avenue Motel 6.
April 14: Whatcom’s total of deaths related to COVID-19 reaches 25. Whatcom County Health Department Director Erika Lautenbach recommends all summer events in Whatcom County be canceled.
April 30: 300th Whatcom confirmed case announced.
May 18: Whatcom County issues a directive for everyone to wear face coverings while in any public indoor or outdoor locations.
May 31: 86 crew members aboard the American Dynasty trawler docked in Bellingham test positive for COVID-19.
June 1: 400th Whatcom confirmed case announced.
June 5: Whatcom County’s application to move to Phase 2 of Gov. Jay Inslee’s Safe Start Plan is accepted.
June 23: 500th Whatcom confirmed case announced.
June 26: Washington state requires everyone to wear a face covering in public when they cannot stay 6 feet away from others.
June 28: 600th Whatcom confirmed case announced.
July 10: Whatcom County hosts the first of four days of a pilot low-barrier, drive-thru COVID-19 testing site at Civic Stadium.
July 12: 700th Whatcom confirmed case announced.
July 21: 800th Whatcom confirmed case announced.
Aug. 1: 900th Whatcom confirmed case announced.
Aug. 4: Whatcom County Health Department Health Officer Dr. Greg Stern recommends that Whatcom County schools plan for remote learning to start the year.
Aug. 7: The Whatcom County Health Department announces plans to begin a low-barrier, mobile COVID-19 testing model.
Aug. 12: 1,000th Whatcom confirmed case announced.
Aug. 31: 1,100th Whatcom confirmed case announced.
This story was originally published September 10, 2020 at 12:35 PM.
