Whatcom returns to CDC’s ‘low’ COVID community level, but these two regions would be ‘high’
For the first time in five weeks and only the second time since Memorial Day weekend, Whatcom County returned to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “low” community COVID-19 risk level.
But the news wasn’t all good, as The Bellingham Herald found two school district regions within the county, including the region currently hosting the Northwest Washington Fair, would receive “high” risk rankings if the CDC were to drill down to that level. It is recommended by the CDC that everyone mask in public situations in areas with “high” community levels.
The regions covered by the Lynden and Nooksack Valley school districts would each be in that high range, The Herald’s analysis of the latest location data released Thursday, Aug. 1, by the Whatcom County Health Department showed.
The Mount Baker region, meanwhile, would receive a “medium” grade, The Herald found, while the other four regions — Bellingham, Blaine, Ferndale and Meridian — were all “low.”
The entire county received its first “low” ranking from the CDC since the week of June 26 to July 3. Since then, Whatcom County has been in the “medium” range.
To be classified in the “low” level by the CDC, counties must have:
▪ Fewer than 200 new cases per 100,000 residents in the past seven days.
▪ Fewer than 10 new COVID-related hospitalizations per 100,000 residents in the past seven days.
▪ Less than 10% of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients.
While masking is recommended for everyone in counties with “high” community levels, the CDC recommends face coverings only for those who are at high risk of serious complications from COVID and those who could expose those at high risk for counties in the “medium” range. Masking in most indoor situations is not included among the CDC’s recommended guidelines for communities in the “low” level.
At every level, the CDC says people “can wear a mask based on personal preference” and should wear a mask if they have COVID symptoms, test positive or have possible exposure.
As of Friday, Aug. 12, St. Joseph hospital in Bellingham reported it was treating 18 COVID-related patients. That would give it an average of 15.4 COVID-related patients per day over the past week (Aug. 6-12) — down from 17.4 one week earlier (July 30-Aug. 5) and well within the CDC’s “low” guidelines with 6.1% of the hospital’s 252 inpatient beds filled by COVID patients.
The Washington State Department of Health’s COVID-19 Data Dashboard’s update on Wednesday, Aug. 10, showed Whatcom County had a weekly reported case rate of 143 cases per 100,000 residents for the most recently completed epidemiological data from July 26 to Aug. 1 and a hospitalization rate of 8.8 new COVID-related patients per 100,000 residents for the most recently complete epidemiological data from July 24-30.
For the entire pandemic, Whatcom County has had 45,258 cases with 1,834 hospitalizations and 323 deaths related to COVID-19, as of Wednesday’s dashboard update.
Here is what the health department’s latest data showed for the seven regions in the county for the week of July 31 to Aug. 6:
▪ Bellingham: Had 174 new reported cases, 10 new hospitalizations and five new deaths reported, increasing its pandemic totals to 19,979 cases, 658 hospitalizations and 157 deaths. Its weekly reported case rate of 130 cases per 100,000 residents was down from 131 from one week earlier.
▪ Blaine: Had 28 new reported cases, one new hospitalization and one new death reported, increasing its pandemic totals to 3,727 cases, 138 hospitalizations and 26 deaths. Its weekly reported case rate of 158 cases per 100,000 residents was up from 107 one week earlier.
▪ Ferndale: Had 65 new reported cases, three new hospitalizations and no new deaths reported, increasing its pandemic totals to 8,182 cases, 383 hospitalizations and 54 deaths. Its weekly reported case rate of 193 cases per 100,000 residents was up from 187 one week earlier.
▪ Lynden: Had 36 new reported cases, five new hospitalizations and no new deaths reported, increasing its pandemic totals to 5,856 cases, 284 hospitalizations and 39 deaths. Its weekly reported case rate of 174 cases per 100,000 residents was up from 116 one week earlier.
▪ Meridian: Had two new reported cases, no new hospitalizations and no new deaths reported, increasing its pandemic totals to 2,061 cases, 95 hospitalizations and 13 deaths. Its weekly reported case rate of 17 cases per 100,000 residents was down from 153 one week earlier.
▪ Mount Baker: Had 17 new reported cases, two new hospitalizations and no new deaths reported, increasing its pandemic totals to 2,432 cases, 142 hospitalizations and 18 deaths. Its weekly reported case rate of 113 cases per 100,000 residents was up from 106 one week earlier.
▪ Nooksack Valley: Had 28 new reported cases, two new hospitalizations and no new deaths reported, increasing its pandemic totals to 2,830 cases, 124 hospitalizations and 13 deaths. Its weekly reported case rate of 259 cases per 100,000 residents was up from 92 one week earlier.
This story was originally published August 13, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
