COVID infection rates drop in 4 Whatcom regions, but one sees highest mark since February
One school district region within Whatcom County saw its COVID-19 infection rate increase to the highest level any of the county’s seven regions have seen in more than two months last week.
The region covered by the Lynden School District has seen 94 new cases over the past two weeks, according to data released by the Whatcom County Health Department on Tuesday, May 11, pushing the region’s number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents the past two weeks above 450 — the first time any region in Whatcom County has been that high since Nooksack Valley’s rate was 515 on Feb. 27.
Lynden was not alone in seeing a large infection rate increase last week, though, as the Meridian and Nooksack Valley regions also saw increases of more than 60 cases per 100,000 residents over last week’s data.
On the positive side, the other four Whatcom County regions saw decreased infection rates last week — including sizable decreases of more than 90 in the Blaine and Ferndale regions. The infection rate in the Mount Baker region also dropped below 100 for the first time since March 27.
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 its infection rate. Data in Tuesday’s report was through Saturday, May 1, and the infection rates reflect confirmed cases from April 18 to May 1.
The health department has not yet released data breaking down which Whatcom County residents are being vaccinated by region.
Overall, Whatcom County saw a 2.1% growth in cases (174 cases) between May 1 and 8 — down from the 3.1% growth and 243 new cases the county reported the previous week.
With 417 cases the past two weeks, Whatcom County has an overall infection rate of 185.3, based on 225,300 residents in the county. Five of the county’s regions had infection rates higher than that mark, according to the county’s data this week.
Here is what the health department’s latest data showed for the seven regions in the county:
Bellingham: Up 1.8% (54 cases) since the May 4 report to 2,989 total cases, and the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days decreased from 133 last week to 117 this week.
Blaine: Up 2.6% (14 cases) since the May 4 report to 556 total cases, and the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days decreased from 296 last week to 188 this week.
Ferndale: Up 1.5% (25 cases) since the May 4 report to 1,691 total cases, and the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days decreased from 359 last week to 260 this week.
Lynden: Up 3.3% (45 cases) since the May 4 report to 1,389 total cases, and the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days increased from 375 last week to 464 this week.
Meridian: Up 3.8% (16 cases) since the May 4 report to 436 total cases, and the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days increased from 167 last week to 251 this week.
Mount Baker: Up 1.1% (five cases) since the May 4 report to 458 total cases, and the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days decreased from 139 last week to 76 this week.
Nooksack Valley: Up 2.0% (15 cases) since the May 4 report to 762 total cases, and the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days increased from 163 last week to 226 this week.
This story was originally published May 12, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
