The Whatcom County Health Department (WCHD) yesterday, March 13th, reported a 2nd laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19 in a Whatcom County resident. The follows the 1st laboratory-confirmed Whatcom County case reported on March 10th.
WCHD officials say the woman in her 40s who tested positive for the COVID-19 virus self-isolated after being notified she had been a close contact of a lab-confirmed positive case from another county.
The Whatcom County Health Department is conducting a follow-up investigation, which includes talking with the individual about where she was during the infectious period and who she may have come in contact with. The Health Department will directly communicate with individuals identified as a close contact of the person and provide direction on how to protect their health and that of the wider community. Close contacts are defined as contacts who were with the individual for more than 10 minutes in a space of 6 feet or less.
WCHD also provided the following recap of Whatcom County laboratory-confirmed positive case-related investigations as of yesterday, March 13th.
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Click for more informationOn Tuesday, March 10th Whatcom County received notice of the first lab-confirmed COVID-19 case in the county. The individual is a woman in her 60s who received medical care at PeaceHealth St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Bellingham. Her condition improved, and she was discharged. Since that time she has been self-isolated at home. Close contacts of the person have been identified and notified.
PeaceHealth did a thorough case review and found that all appropriate respiratory precautions were taken and there was no evidence of exposure to patients or caregivers while the person was in their facility.
On Thursday, March 12th, Lummi Public Health identified a potential public exposure incident at the Silver Reef Casino Buffet that occurred on March 10th between 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. A notice was sent out to alert the public on Friday, March 13th.
Today, March 13th, a second lab-confirmed case of COVID-19 was reported in Whatcom County. This case is a woman in her 40s who self-isolated after being notified that she was a close contact of a lab-confirmed positive case from another county. The Whatcom County Health Department is conducting an investigation into her close contacts. These individuals will be communicated with directly and provided supportive information and direction on how to protect their health and that of the wider community.