Whatcom County sees 15 more COVID-19 cases, state reports Wednesday
Fifteen more Whatcom County residents have tested positive for COVID-19, the Washington State Department of Health reported on Wednesday, Sept. 23. No new deaths were reported.
Whatcom County now has had 1,302 confirmed cases during the pandemic, according to state Department of Health data as of 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22. The data also shows Whatcom County has had 95 hospitalizations (a decrease of two from what was reported Tuesday) and 57,766 tests have been performed (an increase of 69 from Tuesday).
With 42 deaths, 3.2% of people diagnosed with the new coronavirus in Whatcom County have died. The county’s last COVID-related deaths were reported Tuesday, with two reported that day.
The Lummi Public Health Department announced late Tuesday that two more community members had tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number during the pandemic to 63. As of Tuesday, the Lummi community had four active cases, while 59 people have recovered. The Lummi health department has tested 1,668 people during the pandemic, while three community members have been hospitalized and there have been no coronavirus-related deaths.
The state’s Risk Assessment Dashboard reported Wednesday, for data as of 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, that Whatcom County is missing three 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 46.6.
▪ Whatcom had an average COVID-19 testing rate per 100,000 people over a week of 168.9. No goal was stated for this metric, however, the overall statewide number was 151.6.
▪ Whatcom is missing the target of 2% or less of individuals testing positive for COVID-19 during the past week with a rate of 2.3%.
▪ Whatcom is missing the target of less than 80% of all licensed hospital beds occupied by non-COVID-19 patients with 82.4% 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 1.2% reported by the state.
St. Joseph hospital in Bellingham reported to The Bellingham Herald on Wednesday that it was treating three patients.
Numbers elsewhere
COVID-19 cases and deaths according to Johns Hopkins University Wednesday afternoon:
▪ The U.S. has more than 6.94 million reported cases, the most of any nations, and 201,861 deaths.
▪ Worldwide, there are more than 31.7 million reported cases and 973,956 deaths.
In Washington state, the most recent numbers from the Department of Health were reported Wednesday afternoon:
▪ 83,702 reported cases, an increase of 509, from data on Tuesday.
▪ 7,349 coronavirus-related hospitalizations, an increase of 35 from data Tuesday.
▪ 1,743,296 total tests, an increase of 2,397 from data Friday.
▪ 2,081 deaths, an increased of 11 reported on Tuesday, 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 23, 2020 at 4:55 PM.
