For the first time since May, Whatcom returns to this CDC community COVID level
For the first time since May the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rated Whatcom County at “low” community COVID-19 risk level, though one region within the county would have received a “high” rating and three others would have been “medium.”
The county’s rates of reported COVID-19 cases and its COVID-related hospitalizations both dropped to levels last week low enough for the CDC to give Whatcom the “low” community rating when new data was released Thursday, July 7, marking the first time since the week of May 22-28 that Whatcom County was in the lowest of the CDC’s three categories after four straight weeks at “medium.”
But The Bellingham Herald’s analysis of the latest location data released Thursday by the Whatcom County Health Department showed that the region covered by the Mount Baker School District would receive a “high” rating if the CDC drilled down to that level. The CDC recommends every resident within counties that receive “high” rankings mask in public situations.
Additionally, The Herald found that the Ferndale, Meridian and Nooksack Valley regions had numbers placing them in the “medium” range. It marked the first time since the CDC began reporting community risk levels this spring that Nooksack Valley hasn’t been in the “low” range.
Meanwhile, the Bellingham, Blaine and Lynden regions all would receive “low” ratings, marking the first time Bellingham has been “low” since the week of April 24-30.
Bellingham, Blaine and Ferndale were the only regions to see their reported case rates drop last week, and Ferndale was the only region with a lower hospitalization rate.
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 Thursday, July 7, St. Joseph hospital in Bellingham reported it was treating 15 COVID-related patients. That would give it an average of 14.1 COVID-related patients per day over the past week (July 1-7) — up from 12.1 one week earlier (June 24-30) but well within the CDC’s “low” guidelines with 5.6% 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, July 6, showed Whatcom County had a weekly reported case rate of 207 cases per 100,000 residents and a hospitalization rate of 6.1 new COVID-related patients per 100,000 residents for the most recently complete epidemiological data from June 21-27.
For the entire pandemic, Whatcom County has had 43,343 cases with 1,721 hospitalizations and 308 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 June 12-18:
▪ Bellingham: Had 263 new reported cases, 13 new hospitalizations and no new deaths reported, increasing its pandemic totals to 18,898 cases, 607 hospitalizations and 146 deaths. Its weekly reported case rate of 197 cases per 100,000 residents was down from 203 from one week earlier.
▪ Blaine: Had 29 new reported cases, one new hospitalization and no new deaths reported, increasing its pandemic totals to 3,587 cases, 133 hospitalizations and 24 deaths. Its weekly reported case rate of 164 cases per 100,000 residents was down from 198 one week earlier.
▪ Ferndale: Had 69 new reported cases, one new hospitalization and no new deaths reported, increasing its pandemic totals to 7,878 cases, 361 hospitalizations and 54 deaths. Its weekly reported case rate of 205 cases per 100,000 residents was down from 234 one week earlier.
▪ Lynden: Had 28 new reported cases, two new hospitalizations and no new deaths reported, increasing its pandemic totals to 5,724 cases, 276 hospitalizations and 39 deaths. Its weekly reported case rate of 135 cases per 100,000 residents was up from 111 one week earlier.
▪ Meridian: Had 24 new reported cases, one new hospitalization and no new deaths reported, increasing its pandemic totals to 1,998 cases, 89 hospitalizations and 13 deaths. Its weekly reported case rate of 203 cases per 100,000 residents was up from 161 one week earlier.
▪ Mount Baker: Had 33 new reported cases, three new hospitalizations and two new deaths reported, increasing its pandemic totals to 2,348 cases, 136 hospitalizations and 19 deaths. Its weekly reported case rate of 219 cases per 100,000 residents was up from 120 one week earlier.
▪ Nooksack Valley: Had 22 new reported cases, one new hospitalization and no new deaths reported, increasing its pandemic totals to 2,752 cases, 116 hospitalizations and 13 deaths. Its weekly reported case rate of 203 cases per 100,000 residents was up from 185 one week earlier.
