Whatcom County sees 22% increase in rolling COVID-19 case counts, three deaths last week
As the fifth wave of COVID-19 has led to a national reconsideration of inside masking recommendations for all, Whatcom County is seeing increases in cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
Whatcom County saw a 22% increase in rolling case counts going from nine cases on July 7 to 11 cases on July 14, the dates for which the most complete data was available from the state Department of Health. Statewide, there was a 41% increase over the same time period.
Whatcom County saw three related deaths and 104 new confirmed COVID-19 cases last week — the county’s highest weekly gain since mid June — but no new delta variant cases were reported by the Washington State Department of Health’s coronavirus dashboard.
Whatcom also saw five new COVID-related hospitalizations, according to the state’s data.
As of data released Friday, July 23, Whatcom County had seen a total of 9,735 cases, 492 hospitalizations and 108 related deaths during the pandemic, according to the dashboard. An additional 442 probable cases — an increase of three over the last week — have been reported in Whatcom County during the pandemic, resulting from positive antigen tests not confirmed by a molecular test.
In addition, the state reported 46 new cases in Whatcom County Monday evening, July 26, bringing the confirmed case total to 9,781.
St. Joseph hospital in Bellingham Tuesday, July 27, reported it was treating seven patients who have tested positive for COVID-19, the most since July 7.
The state’s vaccination report on Friday showed the county has now administered 232,802 vaccine doses — up 2,716 from the week before — and estimated that 70.7% of the county’s residents 16 and older have initiated vaccination, while 64.9% have completed it.
