Idaho’s COVID-19 test positivity reaches lowest point since early June
Idaho’s COVID-19 test positivity percentage reached 6.9% on 13,377 tests for the week of Sept. 6-12, according to updated data released Thursday on the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare’s COVID-19 dashboard.
It is the lowest positivity percentage for the Gem State since June 7-13, when it hit a low of 2.7% on 9,084 tests. Health officials say a rate below 5% demonstrates control over the spread of the virus.
This would have been the seventh consecutive week Idaho’s positivity percentage decreased, but additions to data in previous weeks resulted in a change in positivity for Aug. 23-29. Health and Welfare previously showed a rate of 8% on 15,462 tests. That was updated to reflect 18,705 tests conducted, with 8.7% coming back positive.
The data for Aug. 30-Sept. 5 also changed, going from 7.4% on 14,264 tests to 7.6% on 17,498 tests.
Boise-based Central District Health, which includes Ada County, had the lowest rate among the state’s seven public health districts at 4.9% — an improvement from the previous week’s 5.2%. The highest rates went to Eastern Idaho Public Health (10.2%) and Southeastern Idaho Public Health (10.1%).
Southwest District Health, which includes Canyon County, decreased from 10.3% to 7.7%.
The state’s seven health districts reported a combined 285 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus and five new deaths on Thursday. Idaho’s seven-day case average stands at 268.3 per day. It was 235.6 a week ago.
The latest deaths were in Nez Perce (2 new, 23 total), Benewah (1 new, 3 total), Canyon (1 new, 97 total) and Shoshone (1 new, 18 total) counties. Idaho has lost 435 residents to the virus with a case fatality rate of about 1.18%. Updated demographics from IDHW indicate one individual was in their 50s, two were in their 60s, one was in their 70s and one was 80 or older.
Ada County added 53 new confirmed cases (11,206 total), which is the largest single-day increase for the county since Sept. 6. Three other counties reported increases of 30 or more cases: Twin Falls (37 new, 1,771 total), Canyon (34 new, 7,360 total) and Bonneville (32 new, 1,902 total).
The other counties adding new confirmed cases were Bannock (5 new, 854 total), Benewah (3 new, 133 total), Bingham (5 new, 769 total), Blaine (1 new, 597 total), Bonner (5 new, 257 total), Camas (1 new, 13 total), Caribou (5 new, 78 total), Cassia (7 new, 566 total), Clark (2 new, 24 total), Clearwater (3 new, 28 total), Custer (1 new, 45 total), Franklin (1 new, 77 total), Fremont (3 new, 131 total), Gem (1 new, 242 total), Gooding (4 new, 220 total), Idaho (7 new, 83 total), Jefferson (7 new, 373 total), Jerome (8 new, 625 total), Kootenai (19 new, 2,395 total), Latah (6 new, 286 total), Madison (16 new, 338 total), Minidoka (5 new, 568 total), Nez Perce (1 new, 359 total), Payette (5 new, 703 total), Power (2 new, 195 total), Teton (2 new, 125 total) and Washington (4 new, 305 total).
Since the start of the pandemic, 33,803 Idahoans have tested positive for the coronavirus. Health and Welfare reported 3,000 “probable” cases (61 new). IDHW estimates that of those infected, 19,691 people are presumed recovered.
DAILY DETAILS
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 1,682 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 438 admissions to the ICU and 2,519 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. 16, the health system was reporting 30 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 458 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 6%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of Sept. 16, the health system was reporting 23 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 390 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 9.4%.
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 (4), Hillcrest Elementary (1), Maple Grove Elementary (2), Roosevelt Elementary (1), South Junior High (1), West Junior High (1).
Testing totals: At the end of the day Thursday, Health and Welfare reported that 282,522 tests had been completed statewide. About 12% of those have been positive for COVID-19.
Counties with confirmed COVID-19 cases: Ada 11,206, Adams 25, Bannock 854, Bear Lake 41, Benewah 133, Bingham 769, Blaine 597, Boise 51, Bonner 257, Bonneville 1,902, Boundary 47, Butte 26, Camas 13, Canyon 7,360, Caribou 78, Cassia 566, Clark 24, Clearwater 28, Custer 45, Elmore 252, Franklin 77, Fremont 131, Gem 242, Gooding 220, Idaho 83, Jefferson 373, Jerome 625, Kootenai 2,395, Latah 286, Lemhi 54, Lewis 11, Lincoln 67, Madison 338, Minidoka 568, Nez Perce 359, Oneida 19, Owyhee 293, Payette 703, Power 195, Shoshone 209, Teton 125, Twin Falls 1,771, Valley 80, Washington 305.
Counties with community spread: All counties except Adams, Butte and Franklin have been announced to have community spread.
