Idaho’s average COVID cases per day continues downward trend; deaths at highest rate yet
Idaho’s 14-day moving average for new cases of the coronavirus dropped for the fifth day in a row, but the state has yet to see a slow in the number of new deaths this month.
The state’s seven health districts reported a combined 315 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and nine new deaths Wednesday. Idaho’s 14-day moving average of confirmed and probable cases was at 455.4 cases per day on Aug. 14 and now sits at 423.3.
Deaths tend to trail the peak in cases, which has made August a difficult month. With the nine new deaths added Wednesday, there have been 99 coronavirus-related deaths in August — an average of 5.2 per day — and 292 overall since the start of the pandemic. For comparison, there were 100 deaths in July and just 11 in June.
The latest deaths were in Ada (4 new, 102 total), Bingham (2 new, 4 total), Shoshone (2 new, 7 total) and Fremont (first death) counties. Eastern Idaho Public Health says the deceased individual in Fremont County was a male in his 60s.
The fatalities in Bingham County were a male in his 80s with no underlying health conditions and a female in her 60s with underlying health conditions, according to Southeastern Idaho Public Health. No information was provided on the other deaths.
Idaho has a case fatality rate of about 1.02%.
Seven counties saw their total number of confirmed cases increase by double figures on Wednesday: Canyon (86 new, 6,274 total), Ada (74 new, 9,574 total), Bonneville (32 new, 1,147 total), Payette (27 new, 455 total), Kootenai (18 new, 2,000 total), Bannock (16 new, 534 total) and Bingham (10 new, 373 total).
The other counties with additional cases were Adams (1 new, 22 total), Benewah (3 new, 81 total), Boise (1 new, 42 total), Butte (1 new, 4 total), Caribou (1 new, 33 total), Cassia (1 new, 513 total), Clark (1 new, 13 total), Elmore (2 new, 217 total), Franklin (1 new, 48 total), Gem (3 new, 178 total), Gooding (1 new, 167 total), Idaho (2 new, 37 total), Jefferson (2 new, 237 total), Jerome (4 new, 482 total), Latah (2 new, 148 total), Madison (2 new, 162 total), Minidoka (3 new, 483 total), Nez Perce (7 new, 182 total), Owyhee (1 new, 257 total), Power (1 new, 81 total), Shoshone (2 new, 171 total), Teton (5 new, 92 total), Twin Falls (3 new, 1,391 total), Valley (1 new, 74 total) and Washington (1 new, 231 total).
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported there were 1,942 “probable cases” of the coronavirus (47 new). The state also said 11,733 people were presumed to have recovered from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
The most recent hospitalization info from Health and Welfare for Aug. 17 shows 205 currently hospitalized with COVID-19, including 43 in intensive care.
Gov. Brad Little will provide an update on his Idaho Rebounds plan during a press conference at noon Friday. The event will be on Idaho Public Television and streamed online.
DAILY DETAILS
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 1,200 hospitalizations because of the coronavirus, 337 admissions to the ICU and 1,741 health care workers who have been infected. Hospital and health care numbers are based on cases with completed investigations into contacts, not the full number of positives.
St. Luke’s Health System: As of Aug. 18, the hospital was reporting a 14-day coronavirus testing positivity rate of 8%, with 51 patients hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 out of 485 patients overall.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of Aug. 18, the hospital was reporting a 14-day coronavirus positivity testing rate of 18.48%, with 50 patients hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 out of 381 patients overall.
Testing totals: At the end of the day Wednesday, Health and Welfare reported that 229,205 tests had been completed statewide. About 11.7% of those have been positive for COVID-19.
Counties with confirmed COVID-19 cases: Ada 9,574, Adams 22, Bannock 534, Bear Lake 31, Benewah 81, Bingham 373, Blaine 574, Boise 42, Bonner 186, Bonneville 1,147, Boundary 42, Butte 4, Camas 2, Canyon 6,274, Caribou 33, Cassia 513, Clark 13, Clearwater 17, Custer 15, Elmore 217, Franklin 48, Fremont 84, Gem 178, Gooding 167, Idaho 37, Jefferson 237, Jerome 482, Kootenai 2,000, Latah 148, Lemhi 47, Lewis 5, Lincoln 56, Madison 162, Minidoka 483, Nez Perce 182, Oneida 15, Owyhee 257, Payette 455, Power 81, Shoshone 171, Teton 92, Twin Falls 1,391, Valley 74 and Washington 231.
Counties with community spread: Ada, Bannock, Bear Lake, Benewah, Bingham, Blaine, Boise, Bonner, Bonneville, Boundary, Canyon, Caribou, Cassia, Clark, Clearwater, Custer, Elmore, Fremont, Gem, Gooding, Idaho, Jefferson, Jerome, Kootenai, Latah, Lemhi, Lewis, Lincoln, Madison, Minidoka, Nez Perce, Oneida, Owyhee, Payette, Power, Shoshone, Teton, Twin Falls, Valley and Washington.
