For the first time in nearly 3 months, all 7 Whatcom regions show positive COVID results
For the first time in nearly three months, the COVID-19 infection rates decreased in all seven of Whatcom County’s seven school district regions.
In fact, all seven regions saw their two-week averages of COVID cases per 100,000 residents decrease by at least 20 last week, according to data released by Whatcom County Health Department Tuesday, June 16.
The last time the infection rates improved in all seven regions was the week of March 14-20.
Five of the seven regions now have infection rates lower than 150 cases per 100,000 residents, and two regions owned rates below 100.
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, infection rate and percentage of residents who have initiated vaccination. Data in Tuesday’s report was through Saturday, June 12, and the infection rates reflect confirmed cases from May 30 and June 12.
Overall, Whatcom County saw a 1.2% growth in cases (118 cases) between June 6 and 12 — down from the 1.5% growth and 144 new cases the county reported the previous week.
With 262 cases the past two weeks, Whatcom County has an overall infection rate of 116.4, based on 225,300 residents in the county. Three of the county’s regions had infection rates lower than that mark, according to the county’s data this week.
As of June 12, the Washington State Department of Health reported that 57.5% of all Whatcom County residents had initiated vaccination and 50.7% had completed it.
Here is what the health department’s latest data showed for the seven regions in the county:
Bellingham: Up 1.1% (36 cases) since the June 8 report to 3,463 total cases, but the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days decreased from 88 last week to 68 this week. Approximately 65.7% of residents in the region have initiated vaccination.
Blaine: Up 1.3% (eight cases) since the June 8 report to 644 total cases, but the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days decreased from 85 last week to 53 this week. Approximately 54.9% of residents in the region have initiated vaccination.
Ferndale: Up 1.0% (19 cases) since the June 8 report to 1,958 total cases, but the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days decreased from 132 last week to 109 this week. Approximately 53.1% of residents in the region have initiated vaccination.
Lynden: Up 1.5% (26 cases) since the June 8 report to 1,706 total cases, but the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days decreased from 348 last week to 246 this week. Approximately 42.4% of residents in the region have initiated vaccination.
Meridian: Up 2.1% (11 cases) since the June 8 report to 540 total cases, but the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days decreased from 232 last week to 187 this week. Approximately 53.7% of residents in the region have initiated vaccination.
Mount Baker: Up 2.4% (13 cases) since the June 8 report to 489 total cases, but the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days decreased from 199 last week to 143 this week. Approximately 38.1% of residents in the region have initiated vaccination.
Nooksack Valley: Up 0.6% (five cases) since the June 8 report to 843 total cases, but the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days decreased from 235 last week to 139 this week. Approximately 37.4% of residents in the region have initiated vaccination.
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