Coronavirus: Idaho prisons continue COVID-19 testing, 11 deaths reported Monday
As coronavirus cases in prisons continue to be a concern, hundreds of those in the custody of the Idaho Department of Corrections are now considered medically cleared.
In the IDOC’s latest updated numbers, the department reported Monday that 502 people that have tested positive for the coronavirus are now considered inactive, meaning they are either medically-cleared in line with CDC guidelines or they have been released from IDOC custody.
As of Monday evening, there are 61 positive, symptomatic cases in Idaho prisons and 218 coronavirus-positive people who are not currently showing symptoms. IDOC has conducted 2,028 tests among its incarcerated population as of Monday evening, and 1,126 tests have come back negative.
Over the weekend, only one IDOC staffer tested positive for COVID-19 as part of a mass testing of staff at the Idaho State Correctional Institution, a prison in Kuna. Of the 174 tested, only one was positive, another was inconclusive and the rest were negative, according to an update published Monday by IDOC director Josh Tewalt. More mass testing will be done later this week in other IDOC prisons.
11 coronavirus deaths reported Monday in Idaho
Health officials in Idaho reported 11 new coronavirus-related deaths in the state on Monday, the most deaths reported in a single day since the outbreak began.
Of those who died, four were in Canyon County; three in Ada County; two in Kootenai County; and single deaths were reported in Twin Falls and Bannock. In the past 13 days, 56 deaths have been reported.
Along with the deaths, health officials around Idaho reported 477 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Monday. Canyon County reported the most with 145 confirmed cases on Monday, followed by Ada County, which reported 82 new cases. Those counties now have 4,124 and 6,763 confirmed cases, respectfully.
Around Idaho, numerous counties reported double-digit new cases on Monday, including Bannock (15), Bingham (11), Bonneville (15), Cassia (21), Minidoka (28), Jerome (19), Kootenai (16), Shoshone (15), and Twin Falls (62).
In total, Idaho now has 17,578 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. As of Tuesday morning, 159 deaths in Idaho have been connected to the virus.
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported 38 new “probable cases” bringing its total to 1,129. State health officials also added 19 new cases among health care workers to its total Monday, which now stands at 1,076.
Coronavirus cases have been reported in the majority of Idaho’s 44 counties: Ada 6,763, Adams 16, Bannock 278, Bear Lake 10, Benewah 33, Bingham 162, Blaine 548, Boise 25, Bonner 128, Bonneville 404, Boundary 30, Camas 1, Canyon 4,124, Caribou 22, Cassia 388, Clearwater 13, Custer 7, Elmore 144, Franklin 38, Fremont 28, Gem 121, Gooding 105, Idaho 23, Jefferson 76, Jerome 338, Kootenai 1,314, Latah 67, Lemhi 7, Lincoln 43, Madison 90, Minidoka 366, Nez Perce 108, Oneida 9, Owyhee 180, Payette 265, Power 34, Shoshone 55, Teton 47, Twin Falls 971, Valley 39 and Washington 158.
Community spread has been found in 36 Idaho counties: 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.
