Submitted by the Whatcom County Health Department
With COVID-19 disease activity once again on the rise, we are publishing weekly COVID-19 Data Reports. In these reports, we will summarize publicly-available COVID-19 data, highlight significant information, and provide some context and details to help you understand what’s happening with COVID-19 in our community.
COVID-19 disease activity once again on the rise, we are publishing weekly COVID-19 Data Reports. In these reports, we will summarize publicly-available COVID-19 data, highlight significant information, and provide some context and details to help you understand what’s happening with COVID-19 in our community.
Each report will cover data for the week ending the previous Saturday. The topics we cover include:
- Cases.
- Hospitalizations.
- Variants.
- Vaccinations.
- Vaccinated vs. unvaccinated cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.
You can find the weekly data report, plus additional data, on our data page at www.whatcomcounty.us/coviddata.
COVID-19 data highlights (week of 8/22-8/28):
The 7-day case rate increased to 266 cases per 100,000 residents. There were 628 new cases reported in the week, The 7-day average count for confirmed and probable cases reached almost 90 per day for a weekly total of 628. There are signs across the larger counties in the region that case rates are peaking, but the rate in Whatcom County is still trending upward. Case rates remain highest among people ages 25-44.
The 7-day rate for COVID-19 hospitalizations* is now 7 hospitalizations per 100,000 residents. During this reporting period, 18 Whatcom County residents were hospitalized for COVID-19.
Of the 628 confirmed cases reported during the week, we identified 187 that met the definition of a “breakthrough” case**. The 7-day case rate in unvaccinated residents was 479 per 100,000 people, the 7-day rate in partially vaccinated residents was 124 per 100,000, and the 7-day rate in fully vaccinated residents was 144 per 100,000 people.
Among the total cases in Whatcom County, the proportion that were among fully vaccinated residents increased over the previous week. However, the case rate among unvaccinated people remains significantly higher than the rate among fully vaccinated people.
A total of 28 fully vaccinated Whatcom County residents have ever been hospitalized for COVID-19. There was one fully vaccinated person hospitalized for COVID-19 during the week this report covers.
A total of seven Whatcom County residents have died due to COVID-19 who were fully vaccinated. There were four deaths due to COVID-19 during the week this report covers, two of fully vaccinated people and two of unvaccinated people. They were:
- A vaccinated female, 80-89 years
- A vaccinated female, 90-99 years
- An unvaccinated male, 50-59 years
- An unvaccinated male, 60-69 years
Notes:
*There are two hospitalization data points frequently reported. Both are important, but they measure different things.
COVID-19 Positive Patients (reported by PeaceHealth)– people who are hospitalized for any reason/diagnosis who have also tested positive for COVID-19. Their care requires COVID-19 protocols to prevent infection of others in the hospital, regardless of the severity of their illness.
- This number is helpful in understanding changes in our hospital’s COVID unit capacity, as caring for COVID-positive patients is resource-intensive.
COVID-19 Hospitalization Rate (reported by WCHD) – people who have tested positive (using a PCR test) for COVID-19 and have been hospitalized due to their COVID-19 illness. It does not include people who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are hospitalized for other reasons (ex: heart attack, injuries).
- This number is helpful in understanding changes in disease severity over time.
**A breakthrough case is someone who becomes infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 after they are fully vaccinated.
