Whatcom County sees largest single-day increase in new COVID-19 cases since June
Twenty one-more more Whatcom County residents have tested positive for COVID-19, the Washington State Department of Health reported Thursday, Oct. 8, but no coronavirus-related deaths were reported.
The county now has seen 1,440 confirmed cases and 48 related deaths during the pandemic, according to state data as of 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7. That means that 3.3% of the Whatcom residents who have tested positive for COVID during the pandemic have died.
The 21 new cases reported Thursday marked the county’s largest single-day increase in cases since 33 were reported on June 24. The state did report 23 new cases on Sept. 22, but that total represented two days’ worth of cases, as the state did not release new data Sept. 21.
The county’s reported death total has increased by eight since Sept. 21. Because the Whatcom County Health Department does not release information about individual deaths, it is not known how many of those eight deaths are related to an outbreak at the Highland Health and Rehabilitation skilled nursing facility in Bellingham.
As of Sept. 29, the health department reported the outbreak had spread to 39 people — 23 residents and 16 staff — and that six residents had died.
The Bellingham Herald asked Whatcom Unified Command for an update on the number of cases and related deaths linked to the outbreak at the facility and was told in an email response Wednesday that though updated information is available, “we are not sharing it without their (Highland’s) participation and collaboration.”
Thursday’s state Department of Health data also shows Whatcom County has had 101 hospitalizations (an increase of one from Wednesday) and 67,595 tests have been performed (an increase of 875 from Wednesday).
The state’s Risk Assessment Dashboard was updated Thursday, for data as of 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, and showed that Whatcom County is 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 67.9.
▪ Whatcom had an average COVID-19 testing rate per 100,000 people over a week of 225.9. No goal was stated for this metric, however, the overall statewide number was 182.7.
▪ Whatcom is making the target of less than 2% of individuals testing positive for COVID-19 during the past week with a rate of 2.0%.
▪ Whatcom is missing the target of less than 80% of all licensed hospital beds occupied by patients with 85.5% 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 Thursday that it was treating three patients for COVID-19, down one from Monday.
Western Washington University’s most recent on-campus student COVID testing data shows that since Sept. 15, WWU has tested 2,898 students, four of whom had positive tests.
Numbers elsewhere
COVID-19 cases and deaths according to Johns Hopkins University Thursday afternoon:
▪ The U.S. has more than 7.59 million reported cases, the most of any nations, and 212,594 deaths.
▪ Worldwide, there are more than 36.35 million reported cases and 1.05 million deaths.
In Washington state, the most recent numbers from the Department of Health were reported Thursday afternoon:
▪ 91,918 reported cases, an increase of 710 from data on Wednesday.
▪ 7,733 coronavirus-related hospitalizations, an increase of 30 from data Wednesday.
▪ 2,016,471 total tests, an increase of 37,994 from data Wednesday.
▪ 2,183 deaths related to COVID-19, an increase of six deaths from data Wdnesday, indicating 2.4% of people with confirmed cases have died.
Businesses fined
The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries announced that it has levied fines against a handful of business related to the lack of face covering use by customers and staff, according to a release Wednesday.
None of the 11 businesses fined between $1,500 and $7,500 were in Whatcom County, and only four of them — an Olympia automotive company, a Chehalis fitness center, an Auburn western wear business and an Enumclaw mail and business center — were west of the Cascades.
“Wearing masks helps protect workers and others by reducing exposure to the virus in our communities so we can reduce fatalities and the impact to our health care system,” L&I Assistant director for the Division of Occupational Safety and Health Anne Soiza said in the release. “Our goal is to get employers to comply with mask requirements through education and assistance, but if that doesn’t work they can be cited and fined.”
The state secretary of health ordered all Washington residents to wear face coverings in public spaces and shared spaces, and Gov. Jay Inslee prohibited business from allowing customers to enter without face coverings.
Since mid-July, L&I has conducted more than 4,300 spot checks at businesses, according to the release. If violations are found, L&I staff contact employers to inform them of public masking requirements. The issue warnings for repeated infractions, before levying fines.
Phased reopening
Gov. Inslee on Tuesday loosened some restrictions for activities and businesses but his July 28 extension of an indefinite pause on counties moving ahead in the Safe Start Washington plan remains in place.
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.
