One Whatcom age group nearly doubles its number of COVID-19 cases in just one month
The number of COVID-19 cases among Whatcom County’s youngest residents in the last four weeks nearly doubled the amount that the age group saw during the first 10 months of the pandemic, according to The Bellingham Herald’s data analysis.
During the same time period, Whatcom County’s oldest residents saw their COVID-related hospitalization rate climb by nearly 25%, even though the percentage of cases in that age group dropped for the fifth straight month.
Throughout the pandemic, 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, utilizing data in Whatcom Unified Command’s daily situation reports to determine trends.
Between Jan. 11 and Feb. 10, the number of new cases where age was reported in the situation reports grew by 2,422 cases, or 65.2% — its largest single-month growth and a monthly infection rate of 1,056.5 cases per 100,000 residents.
As expected, all age groups saw significant increases in cases, with its youngest three age groups — residents under 20, those 20-39 and those 40-59 — leading the way with each owning monthly infection rates in excess of 1,100 cases per 100,000 residents.
Those three age groups combined to make up 83.3% of all COVID cases in Whatcom County between Jan. 11 and Dec. 10, which is actually pretty close to their pandemic total of 83.7%.
Meanwhile, the two oldest age groups — residents 60-79 and 80 and older — have experienced 53.4% of the county’s hospitalizations during the pandemic as of Feb. 10 and 97.1% of the county’s deaths.
Here is what The Herald’s data analysis showed for Whatcom County’s age groups last four weeks:
▪ 0-19 age group: Had 604 new cases between Jan. 11 and Feb. 10 (an 82.7% growth). The monthly infection rate per 100,000 residents was 1,150.5 (based on 52,497 residents in 2019) — up from 451.5 the previous month, and above the county’s 1,056.6 overall monthly infection rate. With 1,334 cases during the pandemic, the age group accounts for 21.8% of Whatcom County’s 6,115 total positive tests where age was reported — up from 19.8% on Jan. 11.
▪ 20-39 age group: Had 810 new cases between Jan. 11 and Feb. 10 (a 56.9% growth). The monthly infection rate per 100,000 residents was 1,245.5 (based on 65,036 residents in 2019) — up from 636.6 the previous month, and above the county’s 1,056.6 overall monthly infection rate. With 2,233 cases during the pandemic, the age group accounts for 36.5% of Whatcom County’s 6,115 total positive tests where age was reported — down from 38.5% on Jan. 11.
▪ 40-59 age group: Had 615 new cases between Jan. 11 and Feb. 10 (a 67.4% growth). The monthly infection rate per 100,000 residents was 1,150.0 (based on 53,478 residents in 2019) — up from 491.8 the previous month, and above the county’s 1,056.6 overall monthly infection rate. With 1,527 cases during the pandemic, the age group accounts for 25.0% of Whatcom County’s 6,115 total positive tests where age was reported — up from 24.7% on Jan. 11.
▪ 60-79 age group: Had 326 new cases between Jan. 11 and Feb. 10 (a 69.5% growth). The monthly infection rate per 100,000 residents was 660.6 (based on 49,350 residents in 2019) — up from 222.9 the previous month, and lower than the county’s 1,056.6 overall monthly infection rate. With 795 cases during the pandemic, the age group accounts for 13.0% of Whatcom County’s 6,115 total positive tests where age was reported — up from 12.7% on Jan. 11.
▪ 80 and older age group: Had 67 new cases between Jan. 11 and Feb. 10 (a 42.1% growth). The monthly infection rate per 100,000 residents was 754.0 (based on 49,350 residents in 2019) — up from 315.1 the previous month, and lower than the county’s 1,056.6 overall monthly infection rate. With 226 cases during the pandemic, the age group accounts for 3.7% of Whatcom County’s 6,115 total positive tests where age was reported — down from 4.3% on Jan. 11.
Whatcom COVID-related deaths
The Herald found that all 14 Whatcom County COVID-related deaths reported between Jan. 11 and Feb. 10 were in people 60 and older — six in the 60-79 age group and eight in the 80-plus age group. As of Feb. 10, the situation reports included data for 69 deaths during the pandemic, which calculates to 30.1 deaths per 100,000 residents.
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 0.1% of all COVID cases diagnosed in the age group), 17 deaths among people 60-79 (a death rate of 34.4 per 100,000 residents and representing 2.1% of all COVID cases diagnosed in the age group) and 50 deaths among people 80 and older (a death rate of 562.7 per 100,000 residents and representing 22.1% of all COVID cases diagnosed in the age group).
Whatcom COVID-related hospitalizations
Whatcom County reported 61 additional COVID-related hospitalizations between Jan. 11 and Feb. 10 — an increase of 27 hospitalizations from what was reported between Dec. 10 and Jan. 11, or 26.6 per 100,000 residents — bringing the county’s pandemic total where age was recorded to 251, or 109.5 per 100,000 residents.
The age group distribution in the last four weeks was:
▪ 0-19: Three additional hospitalizations (17.1 per 100,000 residents in the period) to bring the pandemic total to nine (0.7% of all COVID cases diagnosed in the age group have resulted in hospitalization).
▪ 20-39: 10 additional hospitalizations (15.4 per 100,000 residents in the period) to bring the pandemic total to 34 (1.5% of all COVID cases diagnosed in the age group have resulted in hospitalization).
▪ 40-59: 20 additional hospitalizations (37.4 per 100,000 residents in the period) to bring the pandemic total to 74 (4.8% of all COVID cases diagnosed in the age group have resulted in hospitalization).
▪ 60-79: A decrease of one hospitalization to bring the pandemic total to 67 (8.4% of all COVID cases diagnosed in the age group have resulted in hospitalization).
▪ 80-plus: 29 additional hospitalizations (326.4 per 100,000 residents in the period) to bring the pandemic total to 57 (29.6% of all COVID cases diagnosed in the age group have resulted in hospitalization).
This story was originally published February 14, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
