Idaho’s COVID-19 test positivity rate climbs again; three counties report first deaths
On the same day Gov. Brad Little announced Idaho failed to exit Stage 4 of the Idaho Rebounds plan for the eighth consecutive time, the Gem State received another indication its battle with COVID-19 is far from over.
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare on Thursday reported a statewide positivity rate of 9.4% on 19,363 tests for the week of Sept. 20-26. That’s up from 7.9% on 20,724 tests for the week of Sept. 13-19 and 6.7% on 18,274 tests for Sept. 6-12.
Health officials say a rate below 5% demonstrates control over the spread of the virus.
Six of the state’s seven public health districts showed an increase in positivity percentage from the previous week. Eastern Idaho Public Health once again had the highest rate at 16.1%. Boise-based Central District Health climbed from 4.3% to 7.3%, which was the lowest rate statewide. Southwest District Health, which includes Canyon County, went from 6.9% to 7.4%.
The only district to report a decrease was Panhandle Health District, which saw its rate drop from 8% last week to 7.5%.
Three counties announced their first coronavirus-related deaths Thursday. A male in his 60s was the first to pass from the virus in Caribou County, according to Southeastern Idaho Public Health. Lewis County and Teton County (female in 90s) also reported their first deaths, and Jefferson County (male in 80s) experienced its third.
Idaho has lost 473 residents to the virus with a case fatality rate of about 1.11%.
The state announced a combined 362 new confirmed cases and 115 new probable cases for 477 total cases. The state’s seven-day moving average sits at 481.3 cases per day.
Ada County added 112 new confirmed cases for a total of 12,067 overall. It is only the second time since Aug. 23 the county has reported 100 or more cases in a single day, but both instances have occurred in the last seven days. Ada County’s seven-day average for new cases has nearly doubled in a week — from 42.9 to 80.1.
The other counties reporting new confirmed cases Thursday were Bannock (14 new, 1,070 total), Bear Lake (1 new, 48 total), Blaine (2 new, 655 total), Bingham (3 new, 944 total), Boise (3 new, 57 total), Bonner (11 new, 328 total), Bonneville (27 new, 2,335 total), Boundary (1 new, 49 total), Butte (3 new, 40 total), Canyon (27 new, 7,806 total), Caribou (3 new, 106 total), Cassia (3 new, 691 total), Clearwater (1 new, 48 total), Elmore (3 new, 290 total), Franklin (3 new, 135 total), Gem (3 new, 302 total), Gooding (8 new, 261 total), Idaho (3 new, 200 total), Jefferson (7 new, 510 total), Jerome (2 new, 694 total), Kootenai (27 new, 2,741 total), Latah (10 new, 531 total), Lincoln (1 new, 74 total), Madison (21 new, 733 total), Minidoka (8 new, 663 total), Nez Perce (4 new, 430 total), Owyhee (1 new, 304 total), Payette (7 new, 799 total), Power (1 new, 249 total), Teton (3 new, 171 total), Twin Falls (34 new, 2,164 total) and Washington (5 new, 348 total).
Since the start of the pandemic, 38,777 Idahoans have tested positive for the coronavirus. Health and Welfare reported 3,977 “probable” cases (115 new). IDHW estimates that of those infected, 22,371 people are presumed recovered.
Fruitland High School moves all classes online
All Fruitland High classes will be online starting Friday as the school battles a COVID-19 outbreak, the Fruitland School District announced Thursday.
“We have seen an increase in COVID cases the last two days that has moved us to an area that we need to make a change …,” Fruitland Superintendent Lyle Bayley wrote.
He did not say how many cases the district has discovered at Fruitland High or how long the school plans to remain fully online. The change does not affect any other Fruitland schools.
Fruitland opened the year with a hybrid schedule, sending students to campus a couple days a week against Southwest District Health’s guidance. It then moved to a full, four-day-a-week schedule starting Sept. 17, the Argus Observer reported.
Payette County remains the only county in the state in the red category of community spread, the highest in Idaho’s back-to-school plan. Red comes with a recommendation to close all school buildings.
EIPH reinstates mandatory face coverings
Custer, Lemhi and Teton counties were elevated to the moderate (yellow) COVID-19 risk level based on their respective daily incidence rates, according to a news release from Eastern Idaho Public Health.
The EIPH board reinstated an order for mandatory face coverings in public and restrictions on gatherings for the three counties. The order is effective immediately and will continue until rescinded or amended.
“Every person is required to wear a face covering that completely covers the person’s nose and mouth when the person is in a public place and other non-household members are present and physical distancing of 6 feet cannot be maintained,” the order states.
Social gatherings, both public and private, are restricted to a maximum occupancy that provides for approximately 28 square feet per person.
EIPH also warned that COVID-19 cases in Madison County have “hit alarmingly high rates recently.” The district called on residents to take the virus seriously and follow recommended protocols to help slow the spread of the virus.
DAILY DETAILS
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 1,873 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 460 admissions to the ICU and 2,867 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. 30, the health system was reporting 27 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 482 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 8%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of Sept. 30, the health system was reporting 32 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 350 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 9.3%.
Boise School District: The district says the following schools or units have reported confirmed COVID-19 cases among students or staff since Sept. 22: Borah High School (2 cases), Boise Online school (1), Dennis Technical Education Center (1), Hawthorne Elementary (1), Hillside Junior High (1).
Testing totals: At the end of the day Thursday, Health and Welfare reported that 311,337 people had been tested statewide. About 12.5% of those have been positive for COVID-19.
Counties with community spread: All counties except Adams, Butte and Franklin have been announced to have community spread.
Counties with confirmed COVID-19 cases: Ada 12,067, Adams 28, Bannock 1,070, Bear Lake 48, Benewah 148, Bingham 944, Blaine 655, Boise 57, Bonner 328, Bonneville 2,335, Boundary 49, Butte 40, Camas 30, Canyon 7,806, Caribou 106, Cassia 691, Clark 30, Clearwater 48, Custer 63, Elmore 290, Franklin 135, Fremont 189, Gem 302, Gooding 261, Idaho 200, Jefferson 510, Jerome 694, Kootenai 2,741, Latah 531, Lemhi 84, Lewis 34, Lincoln 74, Madison 733, Minidoka 663, Nez Perce 430, Oneida 25, Owyhee 304, Payette 799, Power 249, Shoshone 214, Teton 171, Twin Falls 2,164, Valley 89, Washington 348.
This story was originally published October 1, 2020 at 8:17 PM.
