Every Whatcom age group’s infection rate increased in past month, but one was dramatic
The overall distribution of Whatcom County’s coronavirus cases didn’t change over the past month, but one age group saw a significant increase in its infection rates.
After seeing no new cases between Aug. 10 and Sept. 10, Whatcom County’s oldest residents — those 80 and over — saw an infection rate nearly twice that of the county’s overall rate between Sept. 10 and Oct. 9, according to The Bellingham Herald’s analysis of data released in Whatcom County Unified’s daily situation reports. All five age groups saw increased infection rates, but none were near as dramatic as what was seen among Whatcom’s elderly.
The Herald has compared the monthly distribution of coronavirus cases across Whatcom’s five age groups since the first confirmed COVID-19 case was announced March 10.
For analysis this month, Friday, Oct. 9 was selected because Whatcom Unified Command does not release data on weekends. The Washington State Department of Health also did not release data on Sunday or Monday, due to a data processing issue, which prevented Whatcom Unified Command from releasing updated data on those dates.
The Herald found that between Sept. 10 and Oct. 9, 19 of Whatcom’s total 255 new cases (or 7.5%) were diagnosed in residents 80 and older. That breaks down to a monthly infection rate of 213.8 new cases per 100,000 residents — there are 8,886 Whatcom residents 80 or older, according to 2019 U.S. Census estimates.
For comparison, Whatcom County’s infection rate between Sept. 10 and Oct. 9 (based on 229,247 total residents in 2019) was 111.2. The county’s overall infection rate was up from 65.4 between Aug. 10 and Sept. 10.
The data is not surprising, though, considering the Whatcom County Health Department announced an outbreak at the Highland Health and Rehabilitation skilled nursing facility in Bellingham during the month. As of the last update on Friday, that outbreak had spread to 54 people — 37 residents and 17 staff members — and resulted in 10 deaths.
But the increase did keep Whatcom’s overall percentage of who was contracting the disease most frequently during the pandemic — a number that had been trending heavily toward the county’s younger residents in recent months — basically unchanged since the data was last examined in mid-September.
Here is what the data showed:
▪ 0-19 age group: Had 41 new cases between Sept. 10 and Oct. 9 (a 19.2% growth). The monthly infection rate per 100,000 residents was 78.1 (based on 52,497 residents in 2019) — up from 64.8 from the previous month, but still well below the county’s 111.2 monthly infection rate. With 255 cases during the pandemic, the age group accounts for 18.3% of Whatcom County’s 1,394 total positive tests where age was reported — slightly down from 18.8% on Sept. 10.
▪ 20-39 age group: Had 92 new cases between Sept. 10 and Oct. 9 (a 22.2% growth). The monthly infection rate per 100,000 residents was 141.5 (based on 65,036 residents in 2019) — up from 96.9 from the previous month, and well above the county’s 111.2 monthly infection rate. With 506 cases during the pandemic, the age group accounts for 36.3% of Whatcom County’s 1,394 total positive tests where age was reported — unchanged from Sept. 10.
▪ 40-59 age group: Had 62 new cases between Sept. 10 and Oct. 9 (a 23.0% growth). The monthly infection rate per 100,000 residents was 115.9 (based on 53,478 residents in 2019) — up from 69.2 from the previous month, and slightly above the county’s 111.2 monthly infection rate. With 332 cases during the pandemic, the age group accounts for 23.8% of Whatcom County’s 1,394 total positive tests where age was reported — slightly up from 23.7% on Sept. 10.
▪ 60-79 age group: Had 41 new cases between Sept. 10 and Oct. 9 (a 26.3% growth). The monthly infection rate per 100,000 residents was 83.1 (based on 49,350 residents in 2019) — up from 32.4 from the previous month, but still lower than the county’s 111.2 monthly infection rate. With 197 cases during the pandemic, the age group accounts for 14.1% of Whatcom County’s 1,394 total positive tests where age was reported — up from 13.7% on Sept. 10.
▪ 80 and older age group: The 19 new cases between Sept. 10 and Oct. 9 represent a 22.4% growth. With 104 cases during the pandemic, the age group accounts for 7.5% of Whatcom County’s 1,394 total positive tests where age was reported — unchanged from Sept. 10.
The Herald also found that the county had its first coronavirus-related death in somebody younger than 40, as a death in the 20-39 age group was first reported in the Oct. 5 situation report. The county also added one related death in the 60-79 age group and five in the 80 and older age group between Sept. 10 and Oct. 9.
As of Oct. 9, the situation report listed 46 related deaths total in the county during the pandemic. Of those none were in the 0-19 age group, one each (2.2%) was in the 20-39 and 40-59 age groups, eight (17.4%) were in the 60-79 age group and 36 (78.3%) were in residents 80 and older.
The distribution among Whatcom’s 100 coronavirus-related hospitalizations as of Oct. 9, according to the situation reports, was one for residents 0-19, 13 for residents 20-39, 32 each for the 40-59 and 60-79 age groups and 22 for residents 80 and older.
This story was originally published October 14, 2020 at 10:51 AM.
