Are COVID community levels remaining low in all seven Whatcom County regions?

Though all seven Whatcom County school district regions have COVID-19 infection and hospitalization rates that would keep them well within the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “low” community level, three regions had particularly low infection rates.

The regions covered by the Lynden, Mount Baker and Nooksack Valley school districts all saw fewer than 15 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents during the week of April 10-16, The Bellingham Herald’s found analyzing the latest data released by the Whatcom County Health Department on Thursday, April 21. The other four regions — Bellingham, Blaine, Ferndale and Meridian — all had infection rates higher than 50, but all were still below 80, which kept all four solidly within the CDC’s guidelines for “low” community levels.

COVID-related hospitalization rates also remained low across all seven regions, as Bellingham was the only region to see a new COVID-related patient during the week.