Who’s been hit hardest during Whatcom’s record-setting post-holiday COVID surge?
Data analysis shows Whatcom County’s youngest and oldest residents have been hardest hit during the record-setting post-holiday surge in COVID-19 confirmed cases the past month.
COVID-19 infection rates among Whatcom County’s youngest and oldest residents saw the biggest growth in the past month, as the county routinely smashed confirmed-case records during the second half of December and early January.
Analysis by The Bellingham Herald of data released in Whatcom Unified Command’s daily situation reports shows that over the past month the age groups of under the age of 20 and 80 and older each saw the number of cases per 100,000 residents increase by more than 100 between Dec. 10 and Jan. 11 (situation reports are not released on weekends) compared to last month’s data between Nov. 10 and Dec. 10.
Whatcom’s middle three age groups — those 20 to 39, those 40 to 59 and those 60 to 79 — meanwhile, saw their infection rates hold relatively steady, though all three still saw big post-holiday case increases.
The Herald has compared the monthly distribution of coronavirus cases across Whatcom’s five age groups each month since the first confirmed COVID-19 case was announced March 10.
The majority of Whatcom’s caseload for the entire pandemic (65%) continues to come from its three youngest age groups, as has been the case since the early stages of the pandemic. And for the second straight month all five age groups had monthly infection rates higher than 200 cases per 100,000 residents.
Overall, Whatcom County reported 1,052 confirmed cases where age was included between Dec. 10 and Jan. 11, according to the situation reports — a 39.8% growth and an infection rate of 458.9 cases per 100,000 residents.
Here is what The Herald’s data analysis showed for Whatcom County’s age groups:
▪ 0-19 age group: Had 237 new cases between Dec. 10 and Jan. 11 (a 48.1% growth). The monthly infection rate per 100,000 residents was 451.5 (based on 52,497 residents in 2019) — up from 339.1 the previous month, but still below the county’s 458.9 overall monthly infection rate. With 730 cases during the pandemic, the age group accounts for 19.8% of Whatcom County’s 3,693 total positive tests where age was reported — up from 18.7% on Dec. 10.
▪ 20-39 age group: Had 414 new cases between Dec. 10 and Jan. 11 (a 41.0% growth). The monthly infection rate per 100,000 residents was 636.6 (based on 65,036 residents in 2019) — up from 601.2 the previous month, and above the county’s 458.9 overall monthly infection rate. With 1,423 cases during the pandemic, the age group accounts for 38.5% of Whatcom County’s 3,693 total positive tests where age was reported — up from 38.2% on Dec. 10.
▪ 40-59 age group: Had 263 new cases between Dec. 10 and Jan. 11 (a 40.5% growth). The monthly infection rate per 100,000 residents was 491.8 (based on 53,478 residents in 2019) — up from 454.4 the previous month, and above the county’s 458.9 overall monthly infection rate. With 912 cases during the pandemic, the age group accounts for 24.7% of Whatcom County’s 3,693 total positive tests where age was reported — up from 24.6% on Dec. 10.
▪ 60-79 age group: Had 110 new cases between Dec. 10 and Jan. 11 (a 30.6% growth). The monthly infection rate per 100,000 residents was 222.9 (based on 49,350 residents in 2019) — down from 233.0 the previous month, and lower than the county’s 458.9 overall monthly infection rate. With 469 cases during the pandemic, the age group accounts for 12.7% of Whatcom County’s 3,693 total positive tests where age was reported — down from 13.6% on Dec. 10.
▪ 80 and older age group: Had 28 new cases between Dec. 10 and Jan. 11 (a 21.4% growth). The monthly infection rate per 100,000 residents was 315.1 (based on 49,350 residents in 2019) — up from 202.6 the previous month, and lower than the county’s 458.9 overall monthly infection rate. With 159 cases during the pandemic, the age group accounts for 4.3% of Whatcom County’s 3,693 total positive tests where age was reported — down from 5.0% on Dec. 10.
The Herald also found that between Dec. 10 and Jan. 11, Whatcom County added two deaths among people between age 60 and 79 and had three other previously reported deaths among residents 80 and older reconciled as not related to COVID-19.
The county has yet to have any deaths related to COVID-19 in anybody younger than 40 during the pandemic.
For the pandemic, Whatcom has had two COVID-related deaths among people 40-59 (a death rate of 3.7 per 100,000 residents and representing 0.2% of all COVID cases diagnosed in the age group), 11 deaths among people 60-79 (a death rate of 22.3 per 100,000 residents and representing 2.3% of all COVID cases diagnosed in the age group) and 42 deaths among people 80 and older (a death rate of 472.7 per 100,000 residents and representing 26.4% of all COVID cases diagnosed in the age group).
Whatcom County reported 34 additional COVID-related hospitalizations between Dec. 10 and Jan. 11 — a decrease of nine hospitalizations between Nov. 10 and Dec. 10 — bringing the county’s pandemic total to 190. The age group distribution was:
▪ 0-19: Three additional hospitalizations (5.7 per 100,000 residents in the past month) to bring the pandemic total to six (0.8% of all COVID cases diagnosed in the age group).
▪ 20-39: Three additional hospitalizations (4.6 per 100,000 residents in the past month) to bring the pandemic total to 24 (1.7% of all COVID cases diagnosed in the age group).
▪ 40-59: 10 additional hospitalizations (18.7 per 100,000 residents in the past month) to bring the pandemic total to 54 (5.9% of all COVID cases diagnosed in the age group).
▪ 60-79: 10 additional hospitalizations (20.3 per 100,000 residents in the past month) to bring the pandemic total to 68 (14.5% of all COVID cases diagnosed in the age group).
▪ 80-plus: Eight additional hospitalizations (90.0 per 100,000 residents in the past month) to bring the pandemic total to 38 (23.9% of all COVID cases diagnosed in the age group).
