Idaho sees a decrease in coronavirus positivity rate for fourth week in a row
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare updated COVID-19 testing data on its website Thursday, showing an increase in the positivity rate from what was previously reported for three of the past six weeks.
The state now shows a peak in positivity at 15.3% on 25,574 tests conducted the week of July 12-18. The previous high was reported as 14.9% for the week of July 5-11. The rate also increased for July 19-25 (13.9% from 13.8%) and July 26-Aug. 1 (13% from 11.7%).
It is not unusual for Health and Welfare’s testing numbers to change as more tests are added when results are returned, sometimes weeks later.
The most recent week of testing data shows Idaho had a positivity rate of 9.2% on 19,013 tests Aug. 9-15. Those numbers are likely to change as more tests are added in the coming weeks, but it marks the first time since mid-June that the state has seen a positive rate under 10%. It also is the fourth straight week with a decrease in the state’s percentage.
Experts say the positivity rate needs to drop below 5% to demonstrate control of an outbreak.
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.
The state’s seven health districts added a combined 375 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus on Thursday, pushing the statewide total to 27,152 cases since the start of the pandemic. Seven new deaths were reported between Canyon (2 new, 63 total), Shoshone (2 new, 9 total), Bonneville (1 new, 7 total), Gem (1 new, 2 total) and Kootenai (1 new, 23 total) counties.
Eastern Idaho Public Health says the latest death in Bonneville County was a male in his 70s. Updated demographics from Health and Welfare, which did not include the Bonneville death, indicate two of the recent deaths were people in theirs 60s and five were 80 or older. Idaho’s case fatality rate is about 1.03%.
The following nine counties saw double-digit increases in confirmed COVID cases Thursday: Ada (113 new, 9,687 total), Bannock (15 new, 549 total), Bonneville (48 new, 1,195 total), Canyon (43 new, 6,317 total), Kootenai (16 new, 2,016 total), Latah (16 new, 164 total), Nez Perce (19 new, 201 total), Payette (12 new, 467 total) and Twin Falls (21 new, 1,412 total).
The other counties reporting new cases were Benewah (2 new, 83 total), Bingham (9 new, 382 total), Blaine (1 new, 575 total), Boise (2 new, 44 total), Bonner (3 new, 189 total), Cassia (4 new, 517 total), Clearwater (2 new, 19 total), Custer (1 new, 16 total), Elmore (1 new, 218 total), Gem (3 new, 181 total), Gooding (2 new, 169 total), Jefferson (5 new, 242 total), Jerome (3 new, 485 total), Lemhi (1 new, 48 total), Lincoln (1 new, 57 total), Madison (1 new, 163 total), Minidoka (4 new, 487 total), Owyhee (3 new, 260 total), Power (7 new, 88 total), Shoshone (7 new, 178 total), Teton (1 new, 93 total), Valley (1 new, 75 total) and Washington (8 new, 239 total).
Health and Welfare reported there were 1,981 “probable cases” of the coronavirus (39 new). The state also said 12,007 people were presumed to have recovered from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
Payette delays start to school
The Payette School District announced Thursday evening on Facebook that it would no longer begin school as scheduled on Monday.
“Significant community spread of COVID-19” was cited as the reason for the delay. The Payette High football team quarantined all 33 of its players this week after they were exposed to the virus.
The school board is scheduled to meet “as soon as possible” when school will start.
According to Southwest District Health, Payette County has added 59 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus since Monday and the county has 467 cases and four deaths overall.
DAILY DETAILS
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 1,226 hospitalizations because of the coronavirus, 340 admissions to the ICU and 1,761 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. 19, the hospital was reporting a 14-day coronavirus testing positivity rate of 8%, with 55 patients hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 out of 505 patients overall.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of Aug. 19, the hospital was reporting a 14-day coronavirus positivity testing rate of 15.96% (Ada County) and 21.23% (Canyon County), with 51 patients hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 out of 383 patients overall.
Testing totals: At the end of the day Thursday, Health and Welfare reported that 231,799 tests had been completed statewide. About 11.7% of those have been positive for COVID-19.
Counties with confirmed COVID-19 cases: Ada 9,687, Adams 22, Bannock 549, Bear Lake 31, Benewah 83, Bingham 382, Blaine 575, Boise 44, Bonner 189, Bonneville 1,195, Boundary 42, Butte 4, Camas 2, Canyon 6,317, Caribou 33, Cassia 517, Clark 13, Clearwater 19, Custer 16, Elmore 218, Franklin 48, Fremont 84, Gem 181, Gooding 169, Idaho 37, Jefferson 242, Jerome 485, Kootenai 2,016, Latah 164, Lemhi 48, Lewis 5, Lincoln 57, Madison 163, Minidoka 487, Nez Perce 201, Oneida 15, Owyhee 260, Payette 467, Power 88, Shoshone 178, Teton 93, Twin Falls 1,412, Valley 75 and Washington 239.
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.
This story was originally published August 20, 2020 at 7:36 PM.
