Whatcom sees nine new COVID-19 cases, state says Friday
Nine more Whatcom County residents have tested positive for COVID-19, the Washington State Department of Health reported Friday, Oct. 23. No new deaths were reported.
Whatcom County now has seen 1,553 confirmed cases and 49 related deaths during the pandemic, according to state data as of 11:59 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22. That means that 3.2% of the Whatcom residents who have tested positive for COVID during the pandemic have died.
The state Department of Health data also shows Whatcom County has had 107 hospitalizations (an increase of one from Thursday) and 76,599 tests have been performed (an increase of 602 from Thursday).
The state’s Risk Assessment Dashboard, updated Friday for data as of 11:59 p.m. Thursday, showed that Whatcom County is making 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 51.5.
▪ Whatcom had an average COVID-19 testing rate per 100,000 people over a week of 253.2. No goal was stated for this metric, however, the overall statewide number was 230.5.
▪ Whatcom is making the target of less than 2% of individuals testing positive for COVID-19 during the past week with a rate of 1.5%.
▪ Whatcom is missing the target of less than 80% of all licensed hospital beds occupied by patients with 80.4% 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 0.8% reported by the state.
St. Joseph hospital in Bellingham reported to The Bellingham Herald on Friday that it was treating two patients for COVID-19, three fewer than Thursday.
Western Washington University’s most recent on-campus student COVID testing data shows that, since Sept. 15, WWU has tested 5,353 students, five of whom had positive tests.
Numbers elsewhere
COVID-19 cases and deaths according to Johns Hopkins University Friday afternoon:
▪ The U.S. has more than 8.47 million reported cases, the most of any nation, and 223,752 deaths.
▪ Worldwide, there are more than 42 million reported cases and 1.14 million deaths.
In Washington state, the most recent numbers from the Department of Health were reported Friday afternoon:
▪ 101,345 reported cases, an increase of 820 from data on Thursday.
▪ 8,231 coronavirus-related hospitalizations, an increase of 48 from data Thursday.
▪ 2,318,931 total tests, an increase of 22,656 from data Thursday.
▪ 2,296 deaths related to COVID-19, an increase of seven from Thursday — meaning that 2.3% of the state residents who have tested positive for COVID during the pandemic have died.
Flu clinics planned
The Whatcom County Health Department is putting together flu vaccine clinics — but not for the general public, officials said to The Bellingham Herald on Friday, Oct. 23.
“We are organizing flu vaccine clinics for specific vulnerable populations, including farmworkers and people experiencing homelessness. We are also supporting long-term care facilities to ensure flu vaccines can be administered at those facilities,” said Melissa Morin, spokesperson for the health department.
But she said that “many health care providers or pharmacies are organizing clinics throughout the county.”
Uninsured adults can also get a free flu vaccine at the Safeway Pharmacy, 1275 E. Sunset Drive, Bellingham.,according to the Washington State Department of Health.
More help for college students
More low-income students enrolled at Washington community and technical colleges can now benefit from the state’s food, employment and training program, according to a Friday state news release.
The change comes as the pandemic has worsened food insecurity among college students, the release read. The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved the state’s proposal to expand the program beyond just low-income students enrolled in vocational programs or basic skill classes, according to the release.
Now, students in a wider range of certificate, degree and industry-recognized programs can get assistance through the Basic Food Employment and Training Program, also known as BFET, as long as they meet all other criteria, the release read.
BFET, the state’s name for the training and employment component of the federal government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, has helped over 90,000 state residents since 2005, the release read. More than just food assistance, the program also assists with tuition, job-searching and basic needs.
Phased reopening
Gov. Inslee on Tuesday, Oct. 13, moved all counties in modified Phase 1 to Phase 2, but his July 28 extension of an indefinite pause on counties moving ahead in the Safe Start Washington plan remains in place. That came a week after Inslee loosened some restrictions for activities and businesses.
That means 22 counties — including Whatcom — are in Phase 2 and 17 counties are in Phase 3.
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