COVID-19 outbreak results in 39 cases, six deaths at Whatcom skilled nursing facility
A coronavirus outbreak at a Whatcom County skilled nursing facility has resulted in 39 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and six deaths related to the respiratory illness, the Whatcom County Health Department reported Tuesday, Sept. 29.
The health department said it has been working closely with Highland Health and Rehabilitation on Samish Way in Bellingham since the outbreak began Sept. 18, according to a release.
“We are working closely with Highland staff to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the facility,” Whatcom County Health Department Communicable Disease and Epidemiology Manager Cindy Hollinsworth said in the release. “They’ve been very responsive. But even when everything’s running well, disease transmission is still possible, especially given the current rate of infection in the general population and the potential for individuals to be asymptomatic.”
Of the 39 cases at the facility, 23 were residents and 16 were staff associated with facility, the release stated.
All of the six people who have died have been in their 70s or older — three were in the 90s and two were older than 100, according to the release. Two women and four men were among the six deaths. Whatcom County Health Department Director Erika Lautenbach told the Whatcom County Council Tuesday that all six deaths have occurred in the last week.
“This has been really tragic for the families and staff who are working to keep their residents safe,” Lautenbach told the Whatcom County Council, later adding, “We aren’t sure how it happened, and it happened very quickly.”
Highland Health and Rehabilitation has worked with the health department to test and monitor staff and residents at the facility, isolate those who test positive and quarantine anyone who has been possibly exposed to the disease, the release said. The county health department and Washington State Department of Health also have implemented additional prevention protocols, such as grouping those who have possibly been exposed.
The health department reminded other Whatcom County residents to remain vigilant with social distancing and wearing face coverings to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect those most vulnerable to the disease.
“Until there’s a vaccine,” Hollinsworth said in the release, “wear your mask, wash your hands, watch your distance, and limit your gatherings. Those are the best things we can do.”
The outbreak at Highland is the second large outbreak at a Bellingham nursing facility during the pandemic. The health department reported an outbreak at Shuksan Healthcare on March 22. That outbreak resulted in 54 coronavirus cases — 31 residents and 23 employees — 10 resident deaths.
The Good Samaritan Society-Stafholt nursing home in Blaine had 13 cases, including 11 residents in late March, while Lynden Manor had 14 residents test positive and two die.
“In these facilities, it’s really hard to contain,” Lautenbach told the County Council.
Daily numbers
Two more Whatcom County residents have died after testing positive for COVID-19, the Washington State Department of Health reported on Tuesday, Sept. 29, and eight more people tested positive.
The two deaths reported Tuesday were the first coronavirus-related deaths reported in the county since two deaths were reported Sept. 22 and bring the county’s total to 44 during the pandemic. With the new deaths, 3.3% of the people who tested positive for COVID-19 in Whatcom County have died.
Due to the Highland Health and Rehabilitation outbreak, the number of deaths is likely to increase, as only four deaths have been reported by the state since Sept. 18.
Whatcom County now has had 1,353 confirmed cases during the pandemic, according to state Department of Health data as of 11:59 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28. The data also shows Whatcom County has had 97 hospitalizations (no change from Monday) and 62,363 tests have been performed (an increase of 345 from Monday).
The state’s Risk Assessment Dashboard was updated Tuesday, for data as of 11:59 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28, and showed 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 60.8.
▪ Whatcom had an average COVID-19 testing rate per 100,000 people over a week of 189.7. No goal was stated for this metric, however, the overall statewide number was 157.6.
▪ Whatcom is missing the target of less than 2% of individuals testing positive for COVID-19 during the past week with a rate of 2.5%.
▪ Whatcom is missing the target of less than 80% of all licensed hospital beds occupied by non-COVID-19 patients with 89.4% 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 0.0% reported by the state.
St. Joseph hospital in Bellingham reported to The Bellingham Herald on Tuesday that it was treating zero patients for COVID-19.
Numbers elsewhere
COVID-19 cases and deaths according to Johns Hopkins University Tuesday afternoon:
▪ The U.S. has more than 7.18 million reported cases, the most of any nations, and 205,774 deaths.
▪ Worldwide, there are more than 33.4 million reported cases and 1.0 million deaths.
In Washington state, the most recent numbers from the Department of Health were reported Tuesday afternoon:
▪ 87,042 reported cases, an increase of 404 from data on Monday.
▪ 7,483 coronavirus-related hospitalizations, an increase of six from data Monday.
▪ 11,854,399 total tests, an increase of 5,936 from data Monday.
▪ 2,124 deaths related to COVID-19, an increase of 24 deaths from data Monday, indicating 2.4% 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 29, 2020 at 4:00 PM.
