Whatcom County sees six more COVID-19 cases, state reports Thursday
Six more Whatcom County residents have tested positive for COVID-19, the Washington State Department of Health on Thursday, Sept. 17, but no new related deaths were reported.
Whatcom County now has had 1,225 confirmed cases during the pandemic, according to state Department of Health data as of 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16. The data also shows Whatcom County has had 96 hospitalizations (an increase of one) and completed 56,274 tests in total (an increase of 454).
The state also reported Thursday 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 Thursday for data as of 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16, and shows Whatcom County missing two 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 210.8. No goal was stated for this metric, however, the overall statewide number was 164.8.
▪ Whatcom is making the target of 2% or less of individuals testing positive for COVID-19 during the past week with a rate of 1.1%.
▪ Whatcom is missing the target of less than 80% of all licensed hospital beds occupied by non-COVID-19 patients with 86.3% 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 Thursday that it was treating four patients.
Numbers elsewhere
COVID-19 cases and deaths according to Johns Hopkins University Thursday afternoon:
▪ The U.S. has more than 6.66 million reported cases, the most of any nations, and 197,447 deaths.
▪ Worldwide, there are more than 29.9 million reported cases and 942,989 deaths.
In Washington state, the Department of Health reported Thursday afternoon:
▪ 81,198 reported cases, an increase of 386 from Wednesday.
▪ 7,196 coronavirus-related hospitalizations, an increase of 34 from Wednesday.
▪ 1,691,047 tests recorded, an increase of 14,345 from Wednesday.
▪ 2,031 deaths, an increase of 11 from Wednesday, indicating 2.5% of people with confirmed cases have died.
WUC reaches 6 months
Wednesday marked the six-month anniversary since Whatcom Unified Command was activated in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Unified command is an integrated, coordinated, multi-jurisdictional response in partnership between the city of Bellingham, Whatcom County, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office and the Lummi and Nooksack tribes charged with leading the county’s COVID-19 response.
Since it has been activated, unified command has:
▪ Assisted with two moves of the Drop-In Center — first to Bellingham High School and then to BaseCamp in downtown Bellingham — in order to provide shelter while maintaining social distance.
▪ Led support for long-term care facilities that had significant COVID-19 outbreaks.
▪ Acquired and distributed face coverings to support reopening businesses, as well as Personal Protective Equipment and masks to help the community’s most vulnerable.
▪ Developed and ran an isolation and quarantine facility in Bellingham and planned for others.
▪ Provided food bank support and delivered food to those who couldn’t safely access their own.
▪ Implemented low-barrier mobile testing.
▪ Established and maintained a volunteer base to support unified command programs.
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.
