Coronavirus: More inmates showing COVID-19 symptoms, Idaho passes 10,000 cases
More people incarcerated at Idaho prisons are getting sick from the coronavirus.
On Friday, the Idaho Department of Corrections updated its COVID-19 numbers, which showed the number of those who tested positive for the virus and are showing symptoms nearly doubled — going from 18 on Thursday evening to 34 on Friday.
The number of inmates who tested positive but are not showing symptoms remained the same from Thursday to Friday: 134.
In an update posted online Friday, IDOC Director Josh Tewalt wrote that prison officials were awaiting further testing results for those in the B and C Blocks of the Idaho State Correctional Center — a men’s prison in Kuna where some of the first cases among inmates were found. As of Friday, the last time its statistics were updated, IDOC reported that 766 COVID-19 tests were pending.
Tewalt also wrote that three more staffers had tested positive: one at ISCC, one at the Idaho State Correctional Institution (a men’s prison in Kuna) and one staffer within Probation and Parole’s District 4 (which covers Ada, Elmore, Boise and Valley counties).
Test results will be made public as more become available, according to Tewalt.
Study: Increased concentration of virus in Moscow wastewater
Officials with the city of Moscow recently learned that its wastewater has increased levels of the coronavirus, according to a nationwide study involving roughly 400 cities.
Moscow city officials said in a news release Monday that the most recent sample taken estimates that there could be 1,400 coronavirus cases in the community. The study, conducted by a company called Biobot Analytics, which previously studied opioids in wastewater, consisted of Biobot analyzing sewage for genetic fragments of the virus and making estimates on roughly how many people would have it.
Latah County, where Moscow is located, had only 31 confirmed cases of coronavirus as of Monday afternoon.
The release noted that estimating cases based on concentration is an “emerging science” and several factors could affect the study’s accuracy.
“It is important to note that the Biobot data provides estimates, not actual cases. While we can’t rely on the accuracy of the case estimation, the thing that is certain is that we are seeing significantly increased concentrations of COVID-19 in our wastewater,” said Moscow City Supervisor Gary Riedner in the news release.
Idaho passes 10,000 COVID-19 cases overall; 3,000 cases in past week
Health officials around Idaho reported nearly 400 new cases of the coronavirus Sunday night, pushing the state’s total confirmed cases count past the 10,000 mark. In just a week, Idaho has accumulated more than 3,000 confirmed coronavirus cases.
Ada County again led all counties, reporting 170 new cases. That marked the 10th straight day the county reported more than 100 new cases. Ada had 3,927 confirmed cases of the virus as of Sunday. Canyon County added 95 cases on Sunday, bringing its total to 2,014.
Confirmed cases were reported in counties across Idaho, including Bonner, Bonneville, Elmore, Kootenai, Payette and Twin Falls.
In total, Idaho had 10,198 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Sunday. No new deaths were reported on Sunday, leaving the state’s total at 102.
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare added nine “probable” cases to its numbers, bringing the total to 739 as of Sunday. IDHW also reported eight new cases among health care workers.
As of Sunday, coronavirus cases were reported in a majority of Idaho’s 44 counties: Ada 3,927, Adams 11, Bannock 137, Bear Lake 3, Benewah 22, Bingham 85, Blaine 537, Boise 9, Bonner 67, Bonneville 159, Boundary 7, Camas 1, Canyon 2,014, Caribou 19, Cassia 284, Clearwater 4, Custer 6, Elmore 95, Franklin 30, Fremont 10, Gem 58, Gooding 72, Idaho 13, Jefferson 21, Jerome 264, Kootenai 705, Latah 31, Lemhi 3, Lincoln 37, Madison 51, Minidoka 235, Nez Perce 96, Oneida 8, Owyhee 80, Payette 166, Power 19, Shoshone 8, Teton 32, Twin Falls 726, Valley 24 and Washington 122.
Community spread has been detected in 34 Idaho counties: Ada, Bannock, Benewah, Bingham, Blaine, Bonner, Bonneville, Canyon, Caribou, Cassia, Clearwater, Custer, Elmore, Fremont, Gem, Gooding, Idaho, Jefferson, Jerome, Kootenai, Latah, Lemhi, Lewis, Lincoln, Madison, Minidoka, Nez Perce, Oneida, Owyhee, Payette, Power, Teton, Twin Falls, Valley and Washington.
This story was originally published July 13, 2020 at 12:30 PM.
