Despite encouraging COVID case and hospital counts, Whatcom sees two deaths reported
Some relatively positive data about Whatcom County’s COVID-19 case count and hospitalizations on Monday was tempered by news that two more resident’s deaths were related to coronavirus — pushing the county over 100 related deaths during the pandemic.
Whatcom County saw eight new COVID-19 cases and no new related hospitalizations reported on the Washington State Department of Health’s coronavirus dashboard Monday, June 14. It marked the third time in the past five reports by the state that Whatcom saw a single-digit increase in reported case numbers.
Overall, the state reports Whatcom County has seen 9,318 confirmed cases, 461 hospitalizations and 101 related deaths during the pandemic. An additional 404 probable cases — up one from the last report — have been reported in Whatcom County during the pandemic, resulting from positive antigen tests not confirmed by a molecular test.
The deaths reported Monday were for people who first tested positive for COVID on May 3 and May 29, according to the state’s epidemiological curves — the sixth and seventh people to first test positive in May and later die, which is up from five in April. No other information about the people who died, such as gender, age or hometown was reported.
The state reports that 1.0% of Whatcom’s 9,722 total cases (confirmed and probable cases combined) have resulted in death — better than the statewide 1.3% average.
St. Joseph hospital in Bellingham reported it was treating seven patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, June 15, up one from the previous report.
Whatcom County’s daily average of reported cases decreased to 14.0 over the past week and was down from the 23.9 average from one week earlier (June 1-7).
The county’s infection rate was 162.3 cases per 100,000 residents, based on the most recent complete data between May 24 and June 6, according to the state’s Risk Assessment dashboard. The county also averaged 6.6 COVID-related hospitalizations per 100,000 residents between May 26 and June 3, according to analysis by The Bellingham Herald of the latest complete hospitalization data on the state’s epidemiological curves
The state’s vaccination report on Monday showed Whatcom County has administered 216,382 vaccine doses and estimated that 67.7% of the county’s residents 16 and older have initiated vaccination, while 60.3% have completed it.
Both averages are above the state, which reported it has administered 7,466,229 doses and that 64.7% of eligible residents have initiated vaccination and 57.4% have completed it.
On May 18 all counties throughout the state returned to Phase 3 of Gov. Jay Inslee’s Healthy Washington — Roadmap to Recovery plan. Additionally, Inslee announced May 13 that the state will fully reopen by June 30 — earlier if 70% of all residents 16 and older initiate vaccination.
If the 70% goal isn’t met, the state will still reopen, the governor said on Thursday, June 3.
Whatcom County had an average of 366 people per day initiate vaccination in the last week, according to The Herald’s analysis of the state’s latest vaccination numbers, and at that rate, Whatcom County is expected to reach 70% of eligible residents initiating vaccination by June 25. For comparison, the state’s current daily rate of people initiating vaccination would not reach 70% until July 18.
PeaceHealth vaccine update
PeaceHealth in Whatcom County has the ability to distribute 425 first doses of the Pfizer vaccine this week and 650 second doses, according to its weekly vaccine update on Monday.
As all doses are the Pfizer vaccine, individuals 12 and older are eligible to receive doses, though parental consent is needed for those under 18.
PeaceHealth reported it will continue to scale its vaccine distribution as community demand requires, but it will run vaccine clinics:
▪ 3-7 p.m. Tuesday, June 15.
▪ 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, June 18.
Check for available appointments by going to its online scheduling tool at peacehealth.org. PeaceHealth affiliation isn’t required to get the COVID-19 vaccine from PeaceHealth. Or, call 833-375-0285 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The phone line doesn’t accept messages.
For other vaccine sites, check with your health care provider or go to Washington state’s Vaccine Locator tool at vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov.
Whatcom County seniors who aren’t tech-savvy or who are homebound and need help with transportation or have other barriers to getting a COVID-19 vaccine appointment can call 360-746-3450, which is being offered by the Whatcom Council on Aging.
The Washington State Department of Health also offers assistance at 800-525-0127, then press #. Language assistance is available.
Another barrier passed
With two COVID-related deaths reported Monday, Whatcom County surpassed 100 during the pandemic. Here is a look at how long it took Whatcom County to surpass barriers for total number of reported related deaths during the pandemic, according to the state epidemiological curves bases on when a patient first tests positive for the coronavirus:
▪ First death: March 13, 2020 (seven days after the first person tested positive for COVID-19).
▪ 10th death: March 20, 2020 (seven days after first COVID-related death).
▪ 20th death: March 27, 2020 (seven days).
▪ 30th death: April 11, 2020 (15 days).
▪ 40th death: Sept. 7, 2020 (149 days).
▪ 50th death: Oct. 14, 2020 (37 days).
▪ 60th death: Dec. 29, 2020 (76 days).
▪ 70th death: Jan. 11, 2021 (13 days).
▪ 80th death: Jan. 26, 2021 (15 days).
▪ 90th case: April 11, 2021 (75 days).
▪ 100th death: May 29, 2021 (48 days).
Numbers elsewhere
New coronavirus cases and deaths according to Johns Hopkins University Tuesday morning:
▪ The U.S. has more than 33.4 million reported cases, more than 599,000 deaths — both most of any nation — and 310.2 million vaccine doses administered.
▪ Worldwide, there are more than 176.3 million reported cases, 3.8 million deaths and 2.3 billion vaccine doses administered.
Washington state reported these numbers from the Department of Health Monday evening:
▪ 408,999 confirmed cases, up 496 from the last report.
▪ 35,723 probable cases, up 60 from the last report.
▪ 24,847 coronavirus-related hospitalizations, up 52 from the last report.
▪ 7,384,029 total molecular tests, up 25,967 from the last report.
▪ 5,782 deaths related to COVID-19, down 33 from the last report.
