Idaho sees its deadliest day yet in COVID-19 battle as virus continues to spread
Idaho’s state and local health departments reported a record nine new coronavirus-related deaths Wednesday.
The state’s deadliest day yet brings Idaho’s total to 136 coronavirus-related deaths. That includes 33 deaths in the past eight days.
Five of the nine deaths Wednesday came in Ada County, another record for the state’s most populated county. Canyon County had two deaths, and Twin Falls and Blaine added one each.
No case details were released.
IDAHO TOPS 15,000 COVID-19 CASES
Idaho reported 476 new confirmed cases Wednesday, topping 400 cases for the 14th time in 16 days.
That brings the state’s total to 15,323 confirmed cases, an 83% increase from two weeks ago.
Ada County led the way again with 243 new cases to bring its state-leading total to 6,066. Neighboring Canyon County added 92 cases to break a streak of eight straight days with 100 or more. It now has 3,473 cases.
Other counties adding new cases include: Bannock 12 new (231 total), Bear Lake 1 new (7 total), Bingham 4 new (136 total), Blaine 1 new (547 total), Boise 2 new (19 total), Bonneville 6 new (301 total), Cassia 1 new (346 total), Elmore 3 new (126 total), Franklin 1 new (35 total), Fremont 1 new (23 total), Gem 5 new (100 total), Gooding 1 new (84 total), Idaho 5 new (22 total), Jefferson 5 new (51 total), Jerome 1 new (315 total), Kootenai 45 new (1,139 total), Latah 6 new (52 total), Madison 2 new (81 total), Minidoka 3 new (300 total), Nez Perce 2 new (105 total), Owyhee 10 new (153 total), Payette 7 new (236 total), Power 1 new (24 total), Shoshone 1 new (31 total) , Twin Falls 7 new (839 total), Valley 1 new (38 total) and Washington 7 new (150 total).
The state health department also says there are 1,001 probable cases, an increase of 39 since Tuesday, and 4,746 patients are “presumed recovered.”
MORE HEALTH CARE WORKERS INFECTED, ICU BEDS DROP
The state health department reported 33 more health care workers have tested positive for the coronavirus Wednesday. Combined with 39 on Tuesday, that’s 72 in two days and boosts the state’s running total to 980.
The state also reported 18 new hospitalizations and four new patients requiring intensive care Wednesday.
The number of intensive care beds dropped to 74 on Wednesday, the lowest since April 20 (71) and the second-lowest total since the pandemic began.
Idaho had 104 available ICU beds Monday, according to the state health department’s tracker.
DAILY DETAILS
Hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 674 hospitalizations due to the coronavirus, 201 admissions to the ICU and 980 health care workers who have been infected. The hospital and health care numbers are based on cases with completed investigations into contacts, not the full number of positives.
Testing totals: At the end of the day Wednesday, Health and Welfare reported that 155,825 tests had been completed statewide. About 9.8% of those have been positive for COVID-19.
Counties with confirmed COVID-19 cases: Ada 6,066, Adams 14, Bannock 231, Bear Lake 7, Benewah 29, Bingham 136, Blaine 547, Boise 19, Bonner 96, Bonneville 301, Boundary 20, Camas 1, Canyon 3,473, Caribou 22, Cassia 346, Clearwater 7, Custer 7, Elmore 126, Franklin 35, Fremont 23, Gem 100, Gooding 84, Idaho 22, Jefferson 51, Jerome 315, Kootenai 1,139, Latah 52, Lemhi 7, Lincoln 38, Madison 81, Minidoka 300, Nez Perce 105, Oneida 8, Owyhee 153, Payette 236, Power 24, Shoshone 31, Teton 44, Twin Falls 839, Valley 38 and Washington 150.
Counties with community spread: Ada, Bannock, Benewah, Bingham, Blaine, Boise, 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 22, 2020 at 5:29 PM.
