Coronavirus claims at least one Idahoan’s life for the sixth day in a row
A woman in her 80s became the 13th person in Nez Perce County to die from COVID-19, based on information available Thursday on the Idaho North Central public health district’s website. It is the sixth day in a row the Gem State has announced at least one death due to the coronavirus.
All 13 deaths in Nez Perce County have been individuals over the age of 70. There have been 35 confirmed cases and 10 probable cases of coronavirus in Nez Perce, resulting in a case fatality rate of 28.9%.
Nine Idaho counties have reported at least one death due to the coronavirus: Ada (14), Blaine (5), Canyon (6), Cassia (1), Elmore (1), Jerome (2), Nez Perce (13), Payette (1) and Twin Falls (11), for a total of 54.
The state’s seven individual health districts reported a combined 30 new confirmed coronavirus cases Wednesday for a total of 1,693 statewide. The cases were added in Ada (9 new, 600 total), Blaine (4 new, 477 total), Canyon (3 new, 205 total), Cassia (1 new, 12 total), Elmore (3 new, 26 total), Kootenai (2 new, 56 total), Lincoln (2 new, 20 total), Owyhee (1 new, 6 total) and Twin Falls (5 new, 122 total) counties.
There also are 114 “probable cases” of coronavirus and 767 “presumed recovered” patients throughout the state, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. A probable case is described as an individual who meets clinical criteria and epidemiologic evidence without a confirmed laboratory test.
Health and Welfare reported 18,092 tests had been completed statewide at the end of the day Wednesday. About 9.4% have been positive for COVID-19. There have been 162 hospitalizations, 60 admissions to the ICU and 222 health care workers who have been infected, according to IDHW. The hospital and health care numbers are based on cases with completed investigations into contacts, not the full number of positives.
Idaho has community transmission in 14 counties: Ada, Bingham, Blaine, Bonneville, Canyon, Elmore, Gem, Jefferson, Jerome, Kootenai, Madison, Payette, Teton and Twin Falls.
Cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in 32 of Idaho’s 44 counties: Ada 600, Adams 3, Bannock 5, Bingham 3, Blaine 477, Bonner 4, Bonneville 16, Camas 1, Canyon 205, Caribou 1, Cassia 12, Custer 2, Elmore 26, Fremont 2, Gem 9, Gooding 7, Idaho 3, Jefferson 4, Jerome 36, Kootenai 56, Latah 4, Lincoln 20, Madison 5, Minidoka 7, Nez Perce 35, Owyhee 6, Payette 10, Power 2, Teton 7, Twin Falls 122, Valley 2 and Washington 1.
Blaine County hosts second town hall
Blaine County health officials updated the community on the virus’s impact on the area and changes in restrictions Wednesday night.
Starting Monday, Blaine County began lifting restrictions that prohibited construction crews and landscapers from working. The county is now following the same guidelines as the rest of the state through Gov. Brad Little’s stay-home order.
The county, which was Idaho’s first hot spot, has seen a reduction in new cases, though not as many as needed in order to fully reopen, said St. Luke’s Dr. Terry O’Connor.
“We are not No. 1 anymore for infections per capita in the country, but we are No. 8 still. We have been able to navigate this without compromising the level of care for anyone,” O’Connor said. “Anyone that needed a hospital, got one. Anyone that needed to be admitted with oxygen, got it.”
O’Conner explained that as of now, the case fatality rate within the county is less than 1%, but the county is not at the level of making testing even more widely available — something that all officials say needs to happen in order to fully reopen Idaho’s businesses.
Aimee Christensen, a member of the Blaine Recovery Committee, told residents that the task force has launched a website to help connect community members with local resources. The site is still in progress but will include educational, business, wellness and spiritual resources for those impacted by COVID-19.
“In this time of crisis the first thing people needed was access, somewhere they could go. Normally, this type of resource center is brick and mortar. ... And unfortunately, we can’t do that right now, so we have made an online resource,” Christensen said.
The group said it is waiting for more explicit directions from the governor’s press conference on Thursday for reopening guidelines and procedures.
This story was originally published April 22, 2020 at 6:03 PM.
