Whatcom sees triple-digit COVID case increase, as Bellingham hospital restricts visitors
Whatcom County continued to see its COVID-19 case and hospital loads grow, as the state reported a triple-digit increase in confirmed cases over the weekend and St. Joseph hospital in Bellingham reported it was treating its highest number of COVID patients since June.
The Washington State Department of Health’s COVID-19 Data Dashboard reported an increase of 113 confirmed cases on Monday, Aug. 9, marking Whatcom County’s largest reported increase since it had 160 on Feb. 8. It was the 10th time Whatcom has had a triple-digit increase reported by the state.
St. Joseph hospital, meanwhile, reported that it was treating 25 COVID patients on Tuesday, up three from Monday and 17 in the past week.
The increased patient count coupled with the higher prevalence of COVID within the community prompted PeaceHealth to announce in a Facebook post Monday that it will restrict visitation at St. Joseph hospital.
“Effective Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021, at 5 a.m., no visitors are allowed at our medical center while COVID-19 remains a public health threat,” the post read. “This decision follows guidance from the CDC and aligns with what is always our top priority: keeping our patients, caregivers and communities safe.”
Under the restrictions, no visitors are allowed for patients in the hospital, except for patients who are minors, patients who are at end-of-life, patients with mobility challenges or who need help with discharge instructions, or one support person in the childbirth center.
“We know how difficult these visitation restrictions are for our patients and their families, and we appreciate your cooperation and the extra support of our caregivers to provide alternative visit interactions,” PeaceHealth’s post read. “We all want the day to come when we can freely welcome visitors back into our facility again. You can help us get there by getting vaccinated, social distancing when possible and masking while indoors.”
In addition to the new confirmed cases, the state dashboard reported Whatcom County had:
▪ 10,204 confirmed cases during the pandemic. Whatcom averaged 145.6 probable cases per 100,000 residents between July 19 and Aug. 1, according to the state’s Risk Assessment Dashboard.
▪ An additional 498 probable cases during the pandemic — up 10 from the last report — resulting from positive antigen tests not confirmed by a molecular test.
▪ 519 COVID-related hospitalizations during the pandemic — up six from the last report.
▪ 109 COVID-related deaths during the pandemic — unchanged from the last report.
▪ 238,122 vaccinations had been administered during the pandemic — up 1,027 from the last report. The state reports 61.8% of Whatcom County’s total population has initiated vaccination and 56.4% has completed it.
Additionally, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Data Tracker listed Whatcom’s level of transmission as “High” — the highest of four categories.
