Whatcom adds two new COVID-related deaths, but case and hospitalization rates hold steady

Whatcom County’s weekly COVID-19 infection and hospitalization rates remained steady last week, but the county continues to feel some lingering impact from its January omicron surge with two new COVID-related deaths reported Friday.

As of Friday, March 25, the Washington State Department of Health COVID-19 Data Dashboard reported 289 residents’ deaths during the pandemic have been linked to COVID-19. The two deaths reported Friday were for residents who first tested positive for COVID-19 on Jan. 15 and Jan. 17, The Bellingham Herald’s analysis of the state’s epidemiological data showed, bringing Whatcom’s epidemiological death total for January to a pandemic-high 49 deaths.

Whatcom County saw 58 new total (confirmed and probable combined) COVID-19 cases reported by the state on Friday, upping its weekly total of new cases to 177. Through the pandemic, Whatcom County has had 37,098 total cases.

St. Joseph hospital in Bellingham, meanwhile, reported it was treating five patients for COVID-related symptoms on Monday, March 28, which was down from counts of six on Friday through Sunday, March 25-27. Over the past seven days, the hospital’s daily snapshot has shown an average of 6.0 COVID-related patients per day, which represents 2.4% of the hospital’s 252 inpatient beds.