Idaho’s daily COVID-19 case average reaches highest point since start of pandemic
Idaho announced its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on March 13.
On Saturday, the state’s seven-day moving average of confirmed and probable cases reached it highest point ever at 597.1 cases per day. The record was set just one day before at 578.0, which surpassed the previous high of 568.9 from July 19.
“As it is for all Idahoans, it’s distressing for us at the (Idaho) Department of Health and Welfare to see COVID-19 case counts rising again,” wrote IDHW Director Dave Jeppesen in a blog posted Friday.
“Without a vaccine or a proven therapeutic treatment, the answer to slow the spread of this virus is simple, and I can’t say it enough: Wear a mask, wash your hands often, keep 6 feet of physical distance between yourself and others, cover coughs and sneezes, and stay home if you are sick.”
Health and Welfare, Southeastern Idaho Public Health and Eastern Idaho Public Health reported a combined 493 new confirmed and 103 new probable cases Saturday for a total of 596 cases.
The total number of patients hospitalized with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 was 192 statewide as of Thursday, including 45 in intensive care. Idaho’s highest hospitalization total during the pandemic was 242 on Aug. 3, and the state fell as low as 111 on Sept. 12.
New deaths related to the coronavirus were announced in Bingham (1 new, 11 total) and Washington (1 new, 7 total) counties. The Bingham County death was a male in his 80s, according to a news release from SIPH. Updated demographics from Health and Welfare indicate the Washington County death was a male in his 40s.
Idaho has lost 508 residents to the virus with a case fatality rate of about 1.06%.
Madison County, which was advised by the White House Coronavirus Task Force to go online-only at BYU-Idaho earlier this week, added 108 new confirmed cases (1,200 total) on Saturday. Ada County’s caseload increased by 98 confirmed (12,838 total) and 45 probable cases for a seven-day confirmed case average of 84.6 cases per day.
Ten more counties across the state also saw double-figure increases: Canyon (39 new, 8,192 total), Bannock (34 new, 1,312 total), Bonneville (34 new, 2,680 total), Twin Falls (34 new, 2,562 total), Cassia (18 new, 856 total), Minidoka (16 new, 809 total), Bingham (15 new, 1,050 total), Franklin (15 new, 205 total), Blaine (14 new, 709 total) and Jefferson (13 new, 598 total).
The other counties adding new confirmed cases Saturday were Bear Lake (1 new, 53 total), Bonner (2 new, 360 total), Caribou (4 new, 136 total), Elmore (3 new, 314 total), Fremont (4 new, 260 total), Gem (5 new, 314 total), Gooding (4 new, 313 total), Idaho (1 new, 233 total), Jerome (4 new, 768 total), Kootenai (9 new, 2,957 total), Latah (3 new, 678 total), Lemhi (1 new, 106 total), Lincoln (4 new, 88 total), Nez Perce (2 new, 489 total), Oneida (2 new, 30 total), Payette (3 new, 865 total), Teton (4 new, 206 total) and Valley (1 new, 96 total).
Health and Welfare removed one case each from Benewah (159 total) and Clearwater (84 total) counties. Cases are sometimes removed when an investigation determines a resident’s permanent address is in another county, health district or state.
Since the start of the pandemic, 43,079 Idahoans have tested positive for the coronavirus. Health and Welfare has reported 4,931 “probable” cases (103 new). IDHW estimates that of those infected, 24,089 have recovered.
DAILY DETAILS
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 2,031 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 478 admissions to the ICU and 3,190 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 Oct. 9, the health system was reporting 50 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 480 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 10%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of Oct. 9, the health system was reporting 27 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 326 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 10.5%.
Boise School District: The district says the following schools or units have reported confirmed COVID-19 cases among students or staff since Oct. 6: Cynthia Mann Elementary (1), Frank Church High School (2), Hidden Springs Elementary (1), Koelsch Elementary (1).
Testing totals: At the end of the day Saturday, Health and Welfare reported that 333,839 people had been tested statewide. About 12.9% of those have been positive for COVID-19.
Counties with community spread: All counties except Adams have been announced to have community spread.
Counties with confirmed COVID-19 cases: Ada 12,838, Adams 27, Bannock 1,312, Bear Lake 53, Benewah 159, Bingham 1,050, Blaine 709, Boise 58, Bonner 360, Bonneville 2,680, Boundary 51, Butte 61, Camas 31, Canyon 8,192, Caribou 136, Cassia 856, Clark 33, Clearwater 84, Custer 68, Elmore 314, Franklin 205, Fremont 260, Gem 314, Gooding 313, Idaho 233, Jefferson 598, Jerome 768, Kootenai 2957, Latah 678, Lemhi 106, Lewis 49, Lincoln 88, Madison 1,200, Minidoka 809, Nez Perce 489, Oneida 30, Owyhee 320, Payette 865, Power 278, Shoshone 218, Teton 206, Twin Falls 2,562, Valley 96, Washington 365.
