NNU implements saliva-based surveillance system for COVID-19, reveals positive tests
Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa announced Saturday that it has implemented a saliva-based surveillance system to screen for the presence of COVID-19.
The tests can be evaluated on campus using equipment the university already owns, allowing for regular screening of all on-campus students, staff and faculty members.
The university also revealed that five of its community members have tested positive for the coronavirus since classes began Aug. 31. All five are in isolation. The university did not indicate whether the individuals were students, staff or faculty.
NNU has divided its on-campus community into “pools” for asymptomatic surveillance screening. The saliva samples from each pool are screened as a group to help preserve privacy, the university said. If a pool tests positive, the NNU health services staff can then contact individuals for additional screening and/or diagnostic testing.
“This new, more accessible, more affordable surveillance screening allows NNU to add another layer of protection,” said Dr. Bryon Hemphill, NNU’s director of health services, in a news release. “It helps us to proactively monitor and assess the ongoing health of our campus community and provides for early identification of potential infection so that those impacted can be cared for quickly and possible spread can be mitigated early.”
Beta tests of the surveillance screening have been conducted and have confirmed the process is working well, the university said. About 1,400 members of the campus have participated in initial screening, and more will be tested in the coming weeks.
“We knew coming into fall semester that our campus community would not be immune to the impacts of a global pandemic,” said Brad Kurtz-Shaw, vice president for academic affairs and chair of the 2020-21 COVID planning team.
“Currently, we are pleased with the ways the health and safety plans and protocols we have in place are working to help ensure impacted community members are getting the support they need while simultaneously mitigating the spread of the virus on campus. ... We will continue to work together to do all we can to put community first as we navigate the challenges that COVID brings our way.”
State adds 208 new cases
Idaho added a combined 208 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus statewide on Saturday, according to a Statesman analysis of data provided by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Southeastern Idaho Public Health and Eastern Idaho Public Health.
Health and Welfare also announced one new death from COVID-19 in Canyon County. There have been 90 deaths from the virus in the county and 415 statewide. No further information was available on the latest death in Canyon County.
Ada County’s caseload increased by 36 to 11,017 total cases. Although the 36 cases were the most reported by any county on Saturday, the total is part of a downward trend for the county in recent weeks. Ada County’s 14-day moving average is down to 48.2 cases per day from a peak of 209.8 on July 18.
Bonneville (34 new, 1,793 total), Bingham (31 new, 705 total), Kootenai (22 new, 2,336 total), Bannock (19 new, 831 total) and Canyon (17 new, 7,233 total) counties also saw double-digit increases.
The other counties adding new confirmed cases Saturday were Benewah (2 new, 126 total), Blaine (1 new, 591 total), Bonner (1 new, 239 total), Camas (1 new, 4 total), Cassia (2 new, 543 total), Elmore (1 new, 251 total), Fremont (1 new, 121 total), Gem (8 new, 237 total), Gooding (1 new, 213 total), Idaho (1 new, 54 total), Jefferson (3 new, 344 total), Jerome (2 new, 599 total), Lewis (1 new, 12 total), Madison (1 new, 267 total), Nez Perce (1 new, 347 total), Owyhee (3 new, 290 total), Payette (7 new, 676 total), Power (8 new, 182 total), Shoshone (1 new, 207 total), Teton (1 new, 123 total) and Twin Falls (5 new, 1,673 total). Idaho has 32,746 confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic.
Health and Welfare removed one case apiece from Latah (363 total), Lincoln (66 total) and Washington (295 total) counties. Cases are sometimes removed when an investigation reveals a resident’s permanent address is in a different county or state.
There are an additional 2,756 probable cases statewide (34 new). Health and Welfare estimated Saturday that of those infected, 18,406 people are presumed recovered.
DAILY DETAILS
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 1,596 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 422 admissions to the ICU and 2,379 health care workers 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 Sept. 11, the health system was reporting 32 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 419 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 7%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of Sept. 11, the health system was reporting 33 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 377 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 12.5%.
Boise School District: The district says the following schools have reported confirmed COVID-19 cases among students or staff since Aug. 17: Adams Elementary (2 cases), Boise Online School (1), Borah High (3), Hillcrest Elementary (1), Maple Grove Elementary (1), Roosevelt Elementary (1) and West Junior High (1).
Testing totals: At the end of the day Saturday, Health and Welfare reported that 274,367 tests had been completed statewide. About 11.9% of those have been positive for COVID-19.
Counties with confirmed COVID-19 cases: Ada 11,017, Adams 25, Bannock 831, Bear Lake 42, Benewah 126, Bingham 705, Blaine 591, Boise 52, Bonner 239, Bonneville 1,793, Boundary 45, Butte 29, Camas 4, Canyon 7,233, Caribou 63, Cassia 543, Clark 20, Clearwater 25, Custer 44, Elmore 251, Franklin 66, Fremont 121, Gem 237, Gooding 213, Idaho 54, Jefferson 344, Jerome 599, Kootenai 2,336, Latah 263, Lemhi 54, Lewis 12, Lincoln 66, Madison 267, Minidoka 544, Nez Perce 347, Oneida 19, Owyhee 290, Payette 676, Power 182, Shoshone 207, Teton 123, Twin Falls 1,673, Valley 80, Washington 295.
Counties with community spread: All counties but Adams, Butte, Camas and Franklin have been announced to have community spread.
This story was originally published September 12, 2020 at 1:55 PM.
