While most of Whatcom sees decreased COVID infection rates, 2 regions show big growth
COVID-19 infection rates dropped across most of Whatcom County last week, but one school district region saw its rate nearly double and another almost tripled, according to data released Wednesday.
The regions covered by the Blaine and Ferndale school districts saw large increases in the number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks, while the five other regions saw rates decrease. The Blaine and Ferndale regions each had infection rates higher than 200, according to location data released by the Whatcom County Health Department April 21.
Meanwhile, the regions covered by the Nooksack Valley and Lynden school districts, which for most of the first three months of 2021 owned the two highest rates in the county, now are among Whatcom’s best.
Nooksack Valley’s rate is actually less than one-twentieth what it was 10 weeks earlier when it topped out at 1,662 cases per 100,000 residents on Jan. 19, and it is now the only region in the county with an infection rate below triple digits.
The county health department releases weekly data on the location of COVID-19 cases using school districts as geographical boundaries, including each region’s number of total cases during the pandemic and their infection rates. Data in Wednesday’s report was through Saturday, April 17, and the infection rates reflect confirmed cases from April 4-17.
Overall, Whatcom County saw a 2.6% growth in cases (191 cases) between April 11 and 17 — up from the 1.7% growth and 128 new cases the county reported the previous week.
With 319 cases the past two weeks, Whatcom County has an overall infection rate of 141.8, based on 225,300 residents in the county. Five of the county’s regions had infection rates lower than that mark, according to the county’s data.
Here is what the health department’s latest data showed for the seven regions in the county:
Bellingham: Up 2.4% (64 cases) since the April 13 report to 2,786 total cases, but the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days decreased from 122 last week to 111 this week.
Blaine: Up 8.7% (39 cases) since the April 13 report to 489 total cases, and the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days increased from 108 last week to 296 this week.
Ferndale: Up 3.5% (52 cases) since the April 13 report to 1,546 total cases, and the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days increased from 126 last week to 248 this week.
Lynden: Up 1.1% (14 cases) since the April 13 report to 1,270 total cases, but the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days decreased from 138 last week to 109 this week.
Meridian: Up 1.0% (four cases) since the April 13 report to 403 total cases, but the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days decreased from 167 last week to 102 this week.
Mount Baker: Up 3.1% (13 cases) since the April 13 report to 432 total cases, but the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days decreased from 139 last week to 120 this week.
Nooksack Valley: Up 0.7% (five cases) since the April 13 report to 729 total cases, but the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days decreased from 136 last week to 72 this week.
