These Whatcom County regions see highest COVID infection rates of the summer
All seven Whatcom County school district regions saw growth in their COVID-19 infections rates last week, and two regions surged to the highest levels the county has seen since the spring.
The regions covered by the Blaine and Lynden school districts are each averaging more than 200 new cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks, according to location data released Tuesday, Aug. 10, by the Whatcom County Health Department.
But those two regions were not alone, as the Bellingham, Meridian and Mount Baker regions also saw significant increases in their infection rates last week and all seven regions now have rates higher than 100. The last time that occurred was the May 25 report.
All seven regions also had double-digit increases in cases last week.
Data reported Tuesday, Aug. 10, on the Washington State Department of Health’s COVID-19 dashboard, shows Whatcom County has seen 10,212 confirmed cases, 497 additional probable cases, 526 related hospitalizations and 109 related deaths during the pandemic.
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, hospitalization rate and percentage of residents who have initiated vaccination. Data in this week’s report was through Saturday, Aug. 7, and the infection and hospitalization rates reflect confirmed cases from July 25 through Aug. 7.
Overall, Whatcom County saw a 2.6% growth in cases with 265 cases between Aug. 1 and Aug. 7 — up from the 173 new cases the county reported the previous week.
With 438 cases in the past two weeks, Whatcom County has an overall infection rate of 195, based on 225,300 residents in the county. Five of the county’s regions had infection rates lower than that mark, according to the county’s data this week.
As of Aug. 7, the Washington State Department of Health reported that 61.8% of all Whatcom County residents had initiated vaccination and 56.4% had completed it.
Here is what the health department’s latest data showed for the seven regions in the county:
Bellingham: Up 3.1% (115 cases) since the Aug. 3 report to 3,796 total cases, and the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days increased from 92 last week to 155 this week — its highest mark since Feb. 9. Approximately 70.6% of residents in the region have initiated vaccination, and the region has seen 6.2 COVID-related hospitalizations per 100,000 in the past two weeks.
Blaine: Up 4.1% (30 cases) since the Aug. 3 report to 759 total cases, and the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days increased from 191 last week to 254 this week — its highest mark since May 4. Approximately 61.8% of residents in the region have initiated vaccination, and the region has seen 10.6 COVID-related hospitalizations per 100,000 residents in the past two weeks.
Ferndale: Up 1.8% (38 cases) since the Aug. 3 report to 2,143 total cases, and the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days increased from 182 last week to 188 this week — its highest mark since May 18. Approximately 58.0% of residents in the region have initiated vaccination, and the region has seen 14.0 COVID-related hospitalizations per 100,000 residents in the past two weeks.
Lynden: Up 2.2% (40 cases) since the Aug. 3 report to 1,844 total cases, and the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days increased from 135 last week to 209 this week — its highest mark since June 15. Approximately 47.3% of residents in the region have initiated vaccination, and the region has seen 9.2 COVID-related hospitalizations per 100,000 residents in the past two weeks.
Meridian: Up 2.3% (13 cases) since the Aug. 3 report to 582 total cases, and the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days increased from 71 last week to 178 this week — its highest mark since June 15. Approximately 58.7% of residents in the region have initiated vaccination, and the region has seen 8.9 COVID-related hospitalizations per 100,000 residents in the past two weeks.
Mount Baker: Up 2.6% (16 cases) since the Aug. 3 report to 624 total cases, and the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days increased from 93 last week to 143 this week — its highest mark since June 8. Approximately 41.4% of residents in the region have initiated vaccination, and the region has seen 6.2 COVID-related hospitalizations per 100,000 residents in the past two weeks.
Nooksack Valley: Up 1.5% (13 cases) since the Aug. 3 report to 896 total cases, and the rate of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days increased from 131 last week to 139 this week — its highest mark since June 15. Approximately 41.9% of residents in the region have initiated vaccination, and the region has seen 8.7 COVID-related hospitalizations per 100,000 residents in the past two weeks.
