Whatcom’s daily COVID case average drops by 80% in February, but deaths remain high
Whatcom County saw a nearly 80% decrease in its daily average of new COVID-19 cases reported and more than a 50% reduction in reported COVID-related hospitalizations during the month of February, but the number of COVID-related deaths remained unchanged from January.
The Washington State Department of Health COVID-19 Data Dashboard reported 33 COVID-related deaths in Whatcom County in the month of February, which matched the pandemic record the county saw in January. The next highest monthly total was 27 recorded in October 2021.
Whatcom’s pandemic total of cases increased by 2,210 total cases (confirmed and probable combined) in February, or approximately 93.5 new cases per day. That is down from January’s average of 432.7 new cases per day during the omicron surge. But it was still the second-highest daily average Whatcom has seen during the pandemic.
COVID-related hospitalizations also were down, with 123 reported in February, which was the third-highest of the pandemic but less than half the 253 reported in January.
“While cases and hospitalizations have thankfully declined from their Omicron peaks, we are still seeing numbers comparable to the peak of the Delta surge,” the Whatcom County Health Department said in its weekly update on Friday, Feb. 25. “The health department continues to encourage people to comply with the state indoor mask mandate until it is lifted on (March 12).”
For the second straight week, the health department did not release new breakthrough data for the county, citing the President’s Day holiday weekend and the Health Information and Assessment team’s desire to add more context to the numbers to give a more accurate picture of the impact vaccination is having on Whatcom’s COVID numbers.
Whatcom latest COVID numbers
As of Monday, Feb. 28, the state dashboard reported Whatcom County has seen a total of 36,346 total COVID-19 cases during the pandemic, an increase of 101 cases from the last report on Friday, Feb. 25.
The latest report on the state dashboard, which is now only updated on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings, also shows Whatcom County has:
▪ 31,935 confirmed cases during the pandemic — up 99 from the last report.
▪ 4,411 additional probable COVID cases during the pandemic — up two from the last report — resulting from positive antigen tests not confirmed by a molecular test.
▪ A weekly infection rate of 307 cases per 100,000 residents for the most recently completed epidemiological data Feb. 9-15 — down from 528 one week earlier (Feb. 2-8) and the lowest rate since the county was at 297 cases per 100,000 residents Dec. 21-27.
▪ 1,406 COVID-related hospitalizations during the pandemic — down three from the last report. The state has made similar adjustments to case and death data throughout the pandemic as more information has become available.
▪ St. Joseph hospital in Bellingham reported it was treating 15 patients with COVID-related symptoms on Tuesday, March 1, which was down one from Monday’s report, but still up from 12 on Saturday and Sunday.
▪ A weekly COVID-related hospitalization rate of 14.9 patients per 100,000 residents for the most recently completed epidemiological hospitalization data Feb. 9-15 — down from 19.3 from a week earlier (Feb. 2-8).
▪ 267 COVID-related deaths during the pandemic — unchanged from the last report.
▪ 348,103 total tests (molecular and antigen combined). The state reported that an “unexpected delay” has once again pushed back the resumption of its reporting of testing data until approximately March 31.
▪ 367,651 vaccinations administered during the pandemic — up 644 from the last report. The state reports 74.4% of Whatcom County’s total population has initiated vaccination and 67.9% has completed it. The state also reports Whatcom has administered 85,226 “additional doses,” which includes third doses for immunocompromised residents and booster doses, have been administered.
Whatcom schools COVID update
The Herald’s analysis of data published by six of the seven Whatcom County school districts shows that COVID-19 infection rates in the county’s schools dropped nearly 60% during the third week of February, compared to the week before.
Though the Blaine School District has not released data from the week of Feb. 13-19, the other six school districts reported a total of 97 new COVID-19 cases that week, or approximately 5.0 cases per 1,000 students in those districts. That was down from a rate of 12.4 cases per 1,000 students for all seven districts Feb. 6-12, The Herald’s analysis found.
Since returning from winter break, the seven districts have reported a total of 3,098 cases, or approximately 141.4 per 1,000 students.
Except for Ferndale, which does not report case counts from individual schools, Whatcom County elementary schools have seen infection rates of 102.5 cases per 1,000 students in elementary schools, 105.3 cases per 1,000 students in middle schools and 103.9 cases per 1,000 students in high schools since winter break, The Herald’s analysis found.
The COVID-19 dashboards on Whatcom County school district websites showed:
▪ Bellingham Public Schools has reported 882 total COVID-19 cases in its schools since winter break, or approximately 73.2 cases per 1,000 students, according to The Herald’s analysis. The district reported 32 cases the week of Feb. 13-19, which was 46 fewer than the week before.
▪ Blaine School District has reported 459 total COVID-19 cases in its schools since winter break, or approximately 197.6 cases per 1,000 students, according to The Herald’s analysis. The district reported 42 cases the week of Feb. 6-12, and has not yet released data for Feb. 13-19.
▪ Lynden School District has reported 386 total COVID-19 cases in its schools since winter break, or approximately 106.5 cases per 1,000 students, according to The Herald’s analysis. The district reported 13 cases the week of Feb. 13-19, which was 23 fewer than the week before.
▪ Meridian School District has reported 346 COVID-19 cases in its schools since winter break, or approximately 189.5 cases per 1,000 students, according to The Herald’s analysis. The district reported three cases the week of Feb. 13-19, which was three fewer than the week before.
▪ Mount Baker School District has reported 291 COVID-19 cases in its schools since winter break, or approximately 156.6 cases per 1,000 students, according to The Herald’s analysis. The district reported seven cases the week of Feb. 13-19, which was 16 fewer than the week before.
▪ Nooksack Valley School District has reported 333 cases in its schools since winter break, or approximately 167.8 cases per 1,000 students, according to The Herald’s analysis. The district reported 15 cases the week of Feb. 13-19, which was 13 fewer than the week before.
▪ Ferndale School District reported Tuesday, March 1, that nine students or staff had positive COVID-19 tests reported to the Whatcom County Health Department, which was down from 24 reported on Feb. 22.
