WWU COVID case surge at 67 as county sees 31 new cases and one death Thursday
Whatcom County saw one related death and 31 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Washington State Department of Health’s coronavirus dashboard Thursday, April 1.
Overall, Whatcom County has seen 7,323 confirmed cases and 87 related deaths during the pandemic, according to state data as of 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, March 31. An additional 241 probable cases — up two from Wednesday’s report — have been reported in Whatcom County during the pandemic, resulting from positive antigen tests not confirmed by a molecular test.
That means that 1.2% of Whatcom’s 7,564 total cases (confirmed and probable cases combined) have resulted in death — better than the statewide 1.2% average of total cases.
The county’s daily average of newly reported cases the past seven days decreased to 20.7 per day.
Whatcom County is currently in Phase 3 of Gov. Jay Inslee’s Healthy Washington — Roadmap to Recovery plan. To remain in Phase 3, Whatcom must make two goals set by the state on the next data evaluation date scheduled for April 12:
▪ The county must have fewer than 200 new cases per 100,000 residents in a two-week period. Whatcom’s infection rate was 143.8 between March 9 and 22, according to the latest update of state’s Risk Assessment Dashboard on Thursday, meaning Whatcom is currently making the first goal.
▪ The county must also have fewer than five new COVID-related hospitalizations per 100,000 residents per seven days. Whatcom had three COVID-related hospitalizations (or 1.33 per 100,000 residents) from March 7-13 — the most recent complete data on the state’s epidemiological curves — meaning Whatcom is currently making the second goal, according to an analysis by The Bellingham Herald.
WWU outbreak update
Western Washington University said its recent surge of cases among students is up to 67 confirmed cases, including 34 students that live in campus housing, according to a school advisory Thursday.
Most of those students are isolating at their permanent family homes, while the rest are in Western’s isolation and quarantine spaces.
“Western continues to rapidly respond to a recent surge in COVID-19 cases and strongly urges students and other members of our campus community, including faculty, staff and visitors, to continue observing safe practices,” the advisory stated.
The surge in cases is believed to include multiple exposures from parties and other smaller social gatherings between March 8 and 15, the advisory stated.
Any students experiencing COVID symptoms or who had direct contact with a known COVID case were advised to contact Western’s Student Health Center at 360-650-3400 for guidance.
“As COVID-19 vaccinations ramp up, after a long and difficult year during the pandemic, it is understandable that many of us are feeling pandemic fatigue and may be relaxing in observing COVID-19 safe practices,” the advisory read. “However, we must all work together even more now to protect our campus and other communities!”
Other Whatcom data
▪ 335 total hospitalizations during the pandemic according to the state dashboard, up two from Wednesday’s report.
▪ 206,519 molecular tests administered, according to the state dashboard, down 225 from Wednesday’s report.
▪ Wednesday’s vaccination report said that as of 11:59 p.m. Monday, March 29, Whatcom County had administered 82,551 vaccinations. The state estimates 28.14% of Whatcom County residents (53,392 people) have initiated a COVID-19 vaccine and 17.17% of Whatcom County residents (38,692 people) are fully vaccinated.
Whatcom’s risk assessment
The state’s Risk Assessment Dashboard was last updated Thursday evening for data as of 11:59 p.m. Wednesday. It showed:
▪ Whatcom is missing the target rate of fewer than 25 new cases per 100,000 residents March 9-22 with a rate of 143.8 — up from Wednesday.
▪ Whatcom had an average COVID-19 molecular testing rate per 100,000 people March 8-14 of 299.0. No goal was stated for this metric, however, the overall statewide number was 224.8 and Whatcom’s average was up from the 288.1 reported Wednesday.
▪ Whatcom is missing the target of less than 2.0% of individuals testing positive for COVID-19 March 8-14 with a rate of 3.3% — down from the 3.7% reported Wednesday.
Vaccination, treatment programs get stimulus
Health clinics that focus on low-income residents and immigrants in Whatcom County have received millions of dollars in funds for COVID-19 vaccination and treatment programs through the most recent federal economic stimulus measure aimed at helping ease the effects of the new coronavirus pandemic.
“These providers are critical to reaching underserved and rural communities across Washington that are too often overlooked by our health care system,” U.S. Rep. DelBene said in a statement.
“The investment from the American Rescue Plan will help health centers get shots in arms and ensure that everyone can access this life-saving vaccine,” said DelBene, a Kirkland Democrat whose 1st Congressional District includes part of Whatcom County.
Unity Care Northwest of Bellingham received $3.7 million and Sea-Mar Community Health Center received $37.2 million statewide, according to figures from the federal Human Resources & Services Administration.
A Sea-Mar official in Seattle was unsure what part of those funds would be earmarked for its clinics in Bellingham and Everson.
The American Rescue Plan Act is $1.9 trillion economic stimulus package that Congress passed and President Joseph Biden signed March 11.
Health centers can use the funding to expand COVID-19 vaccination, testing and treatment programs for vulnerable and underserved populations; deliver preventive and primary health care services to those at high risk for COVID-19; and expand the operational capacity of the health centers during the pandemic and beyond, DelBene said.
—Robert Mittendorf, rmittendorf@bhamherald.com.
State vaccine allotment
The Washington State Health Department reported it expects a record number of vaccine doses from the federal government to be delivered next week, due to an increase of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The three-week forecast is:
▪ Week of April 4: 458,340 total doses, including 285,320 first doses and 173,020 second doses. Among those, the state is expecting 201,240 Pfizer doses, 148,100 Moderna doses and 109,000 Johnson & Johnson doses.
▪ Week of April 11: 412,570 total doses, including 217,320 first doses and 195,250 second doses. Among those, the state is expecting 223,470 Pfizer doses, 148,100 Moderna doses and 41,000 Johnson & Johnson doses.
▪ Week of April 18: 390,340 total doses, including 217,320 first doses and 173,020 second doses. Among those, the state is expecting 201,240 Pfizer doses, 148,100 Moderna doses and 41,000 Johnson & Johnson doses.
Numbers elsewhere
New coronavirus cases and deaths according to Johns Hopkins University Thursday evening:
▪ The U.S. has more than 30.53 million reported cases, the most of any nation, and more than 553,084 deaths.
▪ Worldwide, there are more than 129.45 million reported cases and 2.82 million deaths.
Washington state reported these numbers from the Department of Health Thursday evening:
▪ 342,269 confirmed cases, up 908 from reported cases Wednesday.
▪ 23,493 probable cases, up 368 from Wednesday’s data.
▪ 20,608 coronavirus-related hospitalizations, up 57 from data Wednesday.
▪ 5,931,186 total molecular tests, up 18,715 from Wednesday’s data.
▪ 5,262 deaths related to COVID-19, up 15 from Wednesday’s data. That means 1.4% of all Washington residents who have tested positive for coronavirus have died.
According to the state’s latest Wednesday vaccination report:
▪ 3,325,998 vaccinations had been given as of Monday, March 29, an increase of 80,016 from the previous report (2.47%).
▪ The state has averaged administering 55,894 doses of vaccines the past seven days — more than the Department of Health’s stated daily goal of 45,000, and up from the average 53,778 reported Monday.
▪ The state estimated that 27.90% of the state’s residents (2,105,412 people) have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 16.90% percent of residents (1,275,265 people) are fully vaccinated.
▪ 83.02% of the 4,006,330 doses that have been distributed to Washington state providers and long-term care centers have been administered.
