Whatcom County adds four more COVID-19 cases, as young adults see recent increase
Four more Whatcom County residents have tested positive for COVID-19, the Washington State Department of Health on Tuesday, Sept. 15, but no new related deaths were reported.
Whatcom County now has had 1,208 confirmed cases during the pandemic, according to state Department of Health data as of 11:59 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14. The data also shows Whatcom County has had 94 hospitalizations and completed 55,336 tests in total.
The state also reported Monday that Whatcom County has had 40 total related deaths, meaning 3.3% of people diagnosed with the new coronavirus have died. Whatcom’s last death was reported on Monday, Sept. 14.
The most recent data from the state’s Risk Assessment Dashboard was reported Tuesday for data as of 11:59 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14, and shows Whatcom County missing one of four Phase 2 metrics goals.
▪ Whatcom is missing the target rate of fewer than 25 new cases per 100,000 residents every 14 days with a rate of 38.6.
▪ Whatcom had an average COVID-19 testing rate per 100,000 people over a week of 217.9. No goal was stated for this metric, however, the overall statewide number was 165.5.
▪ Whatcom is making the target of 2% or less of individuals testing positive for COVID-19 during the past week with a rate of 1.4%.
▪ Whatcom is making the target of less than 80% of all licensed hospital beds occupied by non-COVID-19 patients with 71.4% reported by the state.
▪ Whatcom is making the target of less than 10% of all licensed hospital beds being occupied by COVID-19 patients with 2.7% reported by the state.
St. Joseph hospital in Bellingham reported to The Bellingham Herald on Tuesday that it was treating seven patients.
Young adults see increase
Whatcom County seen a slow rise in COVID-19 infections over the past several weeks, Health Director Erika Lautenbach told the Whatcom County Council in a briefing Tuesday afternoon, and most new cases are among young adults, ages 18-29.
According to Whatcom Unified Command’s Monday, Sept. 14, situation report, 414 people between the age of 20 and 39 have tested positive to COVID-19 — 36.3% of the 1,139 cases where age was recorded in the county. One month earlier on Aug. 14, 351 people in that age group had tested positive, representing 35.4% of 989 cases, according to the situation report.
“Among the younger population, we are finding the (epidemiological) link is 56%,” Lautenbach said.
That means health authorities are able to determine where the patient was infected 56% of the time, she said.
Lautenbach said most people were becoming infected at work and from family and friends.
Some 20% of people who tested positive for COVID-19 have participated in a “group activity” involving 20 or more people, she said.
“We have seen gatherings getting larger in the past couple weeks,” Lautenbach said.
Lautenbach also told the council that she hopes that drive-thru testing can resume Wednesday or Thursday after smoke forced the cancellation of testing services Friday afternoon and all day Saturday, Monday and Tuesday.
She said workers are being “fit-tested” with special protective masks for outdoor work.
Numbers elsewhere
COVID-19 cases and deaths according to Johns Hopkins University Tuesday afternoon:
▪ The U.S. has more than 6.59 million reported cases, the most of any nations, and 195,501 deaths.
▪ Worldwide, there are more than 29.4 million reported cases and 931,019 deaths.
In Washington state, the Department of Health reported Tuesday afternoon:
▪ 80,465 reported cases, an increase of 327 from Monday.
▪ 7,127 coronavirus-related hospitalizations, an increase of 29 from Monday.
▪ 1,665,715 tests recorded, an increase of 11,748 from Monday.
▪ 2,015 deaths, an increase of nine from Monday, indicating 2.5% of people with confirmed cases have died.
Phased reopening
Gov. Inslee July 28 extended the pause indefinitely on counties moving ahead in the Safe Start Washington plan.
Five counties remain in a modified version of Phase 1, 17 counties — including Whatcom — are in Phase 2 and 17 counties are in Phase 3.
This story was originally published September 15, 2020 at 3:27 PM.
