Coronavirus update: 7 Idaho counties report new cases; generator stolen at hospital
New cases of coronavirus in Idaho are still trickling in, according to public health districts, and deaths as a result of the illness are increasing this week.
On Thursday morning, 34 new cases of coronavirus were reported in the South Central Public Health District.
That includes 13 new cases in hard-hit Blaine County, bringing the county’s count to 441. Twin Falls County saw 13 new cases, bringing its count to 68, and Jerome County saw four new cases, bringing its count to 23. Lincoln and Cassia counties each had one new case, bringing their totals to 13 and six, respectively. Minidoka County saw one new case, bringing its total to four, and Gooding County also saw one, bringing its count to five.
The additions brought the statewide count to 1,294 people diagnosed with the coronavirus, which causes the COVID-19 disease. As of Wednesday evening, authorities said 19 people had died in Idaho as a result of the illness.
Cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in 32 of Idaho’s 44 counties: Ada, Adams, Bannock, Bingham, Blaine, Bonner, Bonneville, Camas, Canyon, Caribou, Cassia, Custer, Elmore, Fremont, Gem, Gooding, Idaho, Jefferson, Jerome, Kootenai, Latah, Lincoln, Madison, Minidoka, Nez Perce, Owyhee, Payette, Power, Teton, Twin Falls, Valley and Washington.
Idaho has confirmed community spread in 13 counties: Ada, Bingham, Blaine, Bonneville, Canyon, Elmore, Gem, Jefferson, Kootenai, Madison, Payette, Teton and Twin Falls.
On Wednesday, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare’s website was reporting that 113 health care workers in the state had been infected by the virus.
Generator stolen from Nampa Saint Alphonsus
The Nampa Saint Alphonsus Medical Center, at 4300 E. Flamingo Ave., reported that someone stole a generator that was outside at a coronavirus testing center at the hospital.
Nampa police received a call Wednesday morning reporting that the generator was stolen overnight. Police are investigating. They say a dark passenger car was seen at the location.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhy our case numbers might differ from the state's
The Idaho Statesman is tabulating confirmed coronavirus cases from Idaho’s seven health districts as they’re reported. The health districts report cases on their own schedules — some issue press releases, some simply update totals on their websites. And the reports happen at various times throughout the day.
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, meanwhile, updates its statewide numbers once a day at about 5 p.m. Its numbers only include the cases the health districts have reported directly to the department. In some cases, health districts have reported cases publicly but not to the department by the daily deadline.
We break out each day’s new cases by county and provide details on each case when available here.
St. Luke’s implements universal mask policy
St. Luke’s Health System announced Thursday that it is implementing a universal policy for all of its staff members regarding masks during the pandemic.
St. Luke’s staff and providers are now required to wear fluid-resistant procedure masks in patient-care areas, as well as in the common areas of those facilities. That includes St. Luke’s hospitals, clinics, diagnostic areas, such as labs and radiology, and home care environments.
“The goal is to help prevent the community spread of COVID-19,” said St. Luke’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jim Souza in a news release. “Donning procedure masks while in patient-care areas reduces the risk of asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic spread of the virus, both from patients to employees and from an employee to a patient.”
St. Luke’s also reminded the public of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines regarding the public wearing masks. In addition to frequent hand-washing and social distancing, the CDC now recommends wearing cloth face coverings in areas where other social distancing measures are difficult for residents, such as grocery stores and pharmacies.
This story was originally published April 9, 2020 at 12:25 PM.
