Whatcom sees smallest weekly COVID increase in 7 months, but schools report new cases
Whatcom County had the lowest weekly number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases reported last week that its seen in the past seven months.
Whatcom County’s case total grew by 106 last week, as its total number of cases during the pandemic grew from 9,204 on Saturday, June 5, to 9,310 on Saturday, June 12 — an average of 15.1 cases per day. Last week’s total included 14new confirmed cases reported Saturday, according to the Washington State Department of Health’s COVID Dashboard.
The last time the county saw a weekly case count that low was the first week of November when it had 84 cases the week between Nov. 1 and 7. In the 29 weeks since then, Whatcom has averaged seeing 259.0 cases per week.
Whatcom County also saw 13 new COVID-related hospitalizations reported last week, including a reduction of one hospitalization on Saturday, after seeing 19 the week before.
St. Joseph hospital reported it was treating six COVID patients on Monday, June 14, which was down from 14 on Sunday.
Also last week:
▪ Whatcom’s infection rate (the number of new cases in a two-week period per 100,000 residents based on epidemiological data from eight days earlier) decreased to 164.9 on Friday, June 11, according to the state’s Risk Assessment Dashboard, down from 193.9 on June 4.
▪ Whatcom’s weekly hospitalization rate (the weekly number of new COVID-related hospitalizations per 100,000 residents based on epidemiological data from 10 days earlier) increased from 5.3 to 7.9 on Friday, according to analysis by The Bellingham Herald.
▪ The number of reported vaccine doses administered in Whatcom County last week decreased 63.0% from the previous week — dropping from 17,288 reported the week of June 1 to 6,392 last week. The county averaged administering 298.7 initial doses of the vaccine, according to analysis by The Bellingham Herald of data reported last week, and at that rate it will take the county until June 30 to reach 70% of all residents 16 and older beginning vaccination.
Bellingham schools report case
Bellingham Public Schools reported on its dashboard Friday that it had one new COVID-19 incident in its schools.
The new reported case was reported the week of June 7 at Cordata Elementary School and required select contacts return to remote learning or quarantine with an expected return date of June 17.
The district now has had 63 incidents and 68 reported cases since it began returning to in-person learning. All 63 incidents required at least select contacts return to remote learning or quarantine.
The district estimates 9,190 students have returned for in-person learning and 1,600 staff members are working on site.
Lynden schools see cases
The Lynden School District’s COVID-19 dashboard showed 10 new cases spread over five incidents in its schools when it was updated Monday.
The new incidents, according to the dashboard, included:
▪ Two new cases reported the week of May 24-28 at Isom Elementary. The incident required one class return to remote learning or quarantine, and it returned June 7.
▪ Three new cases reported the week of May 24-28 at Bernice Vossbeck Elementary. The incident did not require anyone else return to remote learning or quarantine.
▪ One new case reported the week of May 24-28 at Lynden Academy. The incident did not require anyone else return to remote learning or quarantine.
▪ Two new cases reported the week of June 1-4 at Lynden High School. The incident required some individuals return to remote learning or quarantine with varied return dates.
▪ Two new cases reported the week of June 1-4 at Bernice Vossbeck Elementary. The incident did not require anyone else return to remote learning or quarantine.
Overall, the district’s dashboard reports there have been 118 cases spread across 69 incidents since Lynden students began returning to classes. Thirty-nine incidents have required some students and/or staff to temporarily return to remote learning or quarantine.
COVID and education panel
As the school year in Whatcom County is about to wrap up, an online panel discussion will help parents and families prepare for next fall at 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 16.
Students will host the panel — Get Ready: The COVID-19 Vaccine and Your Kids — which will include panelists:
▪ Chris Reykdal, Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
▪ Dr. John Dunn, Medical Director for Preventative Care, Kaiser Permanente.
▪ SheAnne Allen, COVID-19 Vaccine Director, Washington State Department of Health.
▪ Dr. Scott Lindquist, Washington State Epidemiologist for Communicable Diseases.
Some of the topics expected to be covered during the discussion include the latest Department of Health guidance and how parents and families can stay up to date over the summer; what families need to know about COVID-19, the vaccine and how they affect children; what parents and families with children under 12 need to know; how safe it is for children to return to in-person learning this fall; what parents and families of students with disabilities or health needs should know; and how parents can talk to their children to address concerns.
Registration for the online event is available at cplusc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_x7IujiopTMu_3S7LWp550A.
