After last month’s surge, are Whatcom’s elderly still being hit hardest by COVID-19?
Though all age groups saw new cases, the distribution of Whatcom County’s coronavirus cases during the eighth month since the pandemic hit the region was decidedly younger once again.
Nearly two-in-five new cases in Whatcom County between Oct. 9 and Nov. 9 were in people between the ages of 20 and 39, while those under 59 accounted for 81.4% of all new cases during that time frame, according to The Bellingham Herald’s analysis of data released in Whatcom County Unified’s daily situation reports.
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.
This month it found that only Whatcom’s oldest age group — those 80 and over — saw its infection rate drop in the past month, which is good news after that age group saw a big surge the previous month. The number of cases per 100,000 residents during the past month rose in all four other age groups.
For analysis this month, Monday, Nov. 9, was selected because Whatcom Unified Command did not release a situation report for Nov. 10 on Wednesday in honor Veterans Day. The Washington State Department of Health also did not release new data in honor of Veterans’ Day.
During a state Department of Health briefing Tuesday, State Health Officer Kathy Lofy said that all age groups across the state are seeing new cases — and she said that there isn’t any one way that the disease is spreading in the state.
“We’re at a difficult time in the pandemic,” Lofy said. “We’re fatigued and we’ve already made a lot of sacrifices this year, but we can’t give up.”
Here is what the data showed for Whatcom County:
▪ 0-19 age group: Had 60 new cases between Oct. 9 and Nov. 9 (a 23.5% growth). The monthly infection rate per 100,000 residents was 114.3 (based on 52,497 residents in 2019) — up from 78.1 from the previous month, but still below the county’s 131.7 monthly infection rate. With 315 cases during the pandemic, the age group accounts for 18.6% of Whatcom County’s 1,696 total positive tests where age was reported — up from 18.3% on Oct. 9.
▪ 20-39 age group: Had 112 new cases between Oct. 9 and Nov. 9 (a 22.1% growth). The monthly infection rate per 100,000 residents was 172.2 (based on 65,036 residents in 2019) — up from 141.5 from the previous month, and above the county’s 131.7 monthly infection rate. With 618 cases during the pandemic, the age group accounts for 36.4% of Whatcom County’s 1,696 total positive tests where age was reported — up from 36.3% on Oct. 9.
▪ 40-59 age group: Had 74 new cases between Oct. 9 and Nov. 9 (a 22.3% growth). The monthly infection rate per 100,000 residents was 138.4 (based on 53,478 residents in 2019) — up from 115.9 from the previous month, and slightly above the county’s 131.7 monthly infection rate. With 406 cases during the pandemic, the age group accounts for 23.9% of Whatcom County’s 1,696 total positive tests where age was reported — slightly up from 23.8% on Oct. 9.
▪ 60-79 age group: Had 47 new cases between Oct. 9 and Nov. 9 (a 23.9% growth). The monthly infection rate per 100,000 residents was 95.2 (based on 49,350 residents in 2019) — up from 83.1 from the previous month, but substantially lower than the county’s 131.7 monthly infection rate. With 244 cases during the pandemic, the age group accounts for 14.4% of Whatcom County’s 1,696 total positive tests where age was reported — up from 14.1% on Oct. 9.
▪ 80 and older age group: Had nine new cases between Oct. 9 and Nov. 9 (an 8.7% growth). The monthly infection rate per 100,000 residents was 101.3 (based on 49,350 residents in 2019) — significantly down from 213.8 from the previous month, and lower than the county’s 131.7 monthly infection rate. With 113 cases during the pandemic, the age group accounts for 6.7% of Whatcom County’s 1,696 total positive tests where age was reported — down from 7.5% on Oct. 9.
The Herald also found that though the county reported its first coronavirus-related death in somebody younger than 40 in the Oct. 5 situation report, that death has since been reconciled and all deaths reported as of Nov. 9 were of residents over the age of 39.
The county added one related death in the 60-79 age group and five in the 80-and-older age group between Oct. 9 and Nov. 9. Of the 51 deaths reported Nov. 9 (a 52nd was reported Nov. 10), one death had been reported in the 40-59 age group (2.0%), nine were in the 60-79 age group (17.6%) and 41 were in the 80-and-older age group (80.4%).
The distribution among Whatcom’s 100 coronavirus-related hospitalizations as of Nov. 9, according to the situation reports, was two for residents 0-19, 16 for residents 20-39, 35 for residents 40-59, 38 for residents 60-79 and 22 for residents 80 and older.
Lummi vaccine trial
The Lummi Nation announced Tuesday that its has moved past the first of three steps in deciding whether to participate in the vaccine trial study by Novavx after the Northwest Indian College Review Board approved the trial. The Lummi Indian Business Council and the Health Commission still must sign off on the trial.
The Heath Commission is next up, and if it approves the trial, it could move before the business council for consideration at its next regular meeting, the post stated.
“The Council is grateful to the IRB for its careful consideration of the vaccine study,” the post read. “They viewed the study with special attention to the risks of participation and past wrongs committed on our people. We can be confident that their work was thorough.”
Last month, Lummi announced that it was pulling out of the AstraZeneca vaccine trial, saying at the time that it “was not a good fit” due to communication problems between Lummi doctors and AstraZeneca representatives.
The Lummi Tribal Health Center on Monday reported its 87th positive test for coronavirus and it is currently monitoring 12 active cases. The Lummi community has had nine news cases so far in November and 23 since Oct. 1. As of Monday, the Lummi health center reported it has performed 2,381 tests during the pandemic and the community has had three hospitalizations and no deaths.
Whatcom’s latest numbers
No data was released Wednesday by the Washington State Department of Health, as it observed Veterans Day.
Whatcom County has seen 1,737 confirmed cases and 52 related deaths during the pandemic, according to state data as of 11:59 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9. That means that 3.0% of the Whatcom residents who have tested positive for COVID during the pandemic have died.
The state Department of Health data Tuesday also showed Whatcom County has had 116 hospitalizations and 87,086 tests have been performed.
St. Joseph hospital in Bellingham reported to The Bellingham Herald on Wednesday that it was treating five patients for COVID-19, unchanged from Tuesday.
The state’s Risk Assessment Dashboard was last updated Tuesday for data as of 11:59 p.m. Monday showed that Whatcom County is making two of four key 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 47.9.
▪ Whatcom had an average COVID-19 testing rate per 100,000 people over a week of 263.7. No goal was stated for this metric, however, the overall statewide number was 241.1.
▪ Whatcom is making the target of less than 2% of individuals testing positive for COVID-19 during the past week with a rate of 1.3%.
▪ Whatcom is missing the target of less than 80% of all licensed hospital beds occupied by patients with 96.1% 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 2.0% reported by the state.
Numbers elsewhere
COVID-19 cases and deaths according to Johns Hopkins University Wednesday afternoon:
▪ The U.S. has more than 10.3 million reported cases, the most of any nation, and 240,838 deaths.
▪ Worldwide, there are more than 51.9 million reported cases and 1.28 million deaths.
In Washington state, the most recent numbers from the Department of Health were reported Tuesday afternoon:
▪ 120,011 reported cases.
▪ 9,092 coronavirus-related hospitalizations.
▪ 2,644,425 total tests.
▪ 2,482 deaths related to COVID-19, meaning that 2.1% of the state residents who have tested positive for COVID during the pandemic have died.
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.
This story was originally published November 11, 2020 at 3:29 PM.
