Coronavirus: After outcry, Twin Falls tables mask mandate; Idaho sets new case record
Members of the Twin Falls City Council chose not to vote on a mask mandate after nearly five hours of testimony from dozens of people Monday night.
The Twin Falls Times-News reported that a proposed city ordinance to require masks was tabled by the council just before 10 p.m. Only one council member — Craig Hawkins — voted against tabling the proposal.
“My takeaway this evening, and frankly my review of the proposed ordinance, is I don’t think the ordinance helps us get to the goal (of slowing the spread of the coronavirus),” Twin Falls City Councilman Shawn Barigar said.
The newspaper reported that several hundred people gathered outside of City Hall to protest the potential mandate before attending the meeting.
While some of those in attendance were doctors and nurses who spoke in favor of a mask requirement, most of those who spoke were against a mask mandate, claiming that it would restrict their personal rights. The newspaper noted that many of those who addressed the council said they don’t even live in Twin Falls.
During 12-hour windows on the weekend of Oct. 31 and Nov. 7, one of Idaho’s largest hospitals, St. Luke’s Magic Valley hospital in Twin Falls, had to send patients elsewhere after hitting its capacity. The patients who were not able to be admitted in Twin Falls were sent to other hospitals, mostly in the Treasure Valley.
The next Twin Falls City Council meeting is slated for Nov. 16.
Idaho breaks more COVID-19 records for new cases, including in Ada
The Gem State blew past its previous record for coronavirus cases reported in a day, as Idaho health officials reported 1,207 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus on Monday.
Another 120 probable cases brought Monday’s case total to 1,327, which is the second-highest number of coronavirus cases reported in a day. Idaho now has 64,122 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, with an additional 10,316 probable cases.
State health officials also reported 13 deaths Monday due to the coronavirus, bringing the state’s total to 704. Six deaths were reported in Twin Falls County and two in Ada. Single deaths were reported in Bingham, Canyon, Shoshone, Lincoln and Cassia counties.
Of those confirmed COVID-19 cases, 364 were reported in Ada County, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. That also is a record-breaking total, as Ada County’s previous high was set on July 18 with 345 cases. Twin Falls and Nez Perce counties also reported triple-digit totals Monday, adding 103 and 107 confirmed cases, respectively.
As of Saturday, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reports that 410,495 people have been tested for the coronavirus in Idaho, with around 15.6% of people testing positive for COVID-19.
All counties except Adams have reports of community spread.
All of Idaho’s 44 counties have confirmed cases of the coronavirus: Ada 17,148, Adams 68, Bannock 2,109, Bear Lake 102, Benewah 198, Bingham 1,417, Blaine 944, Boise 83, Bonner 543, Bonneville 4,242, Boundary 111, Butte 97, Camas 39, Canyon 10,460, Caribou 249, Cassia 1,532, Clark 37, Clearwater 175, Custer 92, Elmore 485, Franklin 355, Fremont 514, Gem 436, Gooding 571, Idaho 453, Jefferson 920, Jerome 1,248, Kootenai 4,810, Latah 1,126, Lemhi 314, Lewis 109, Lincoln 239, Madison 2,731, Minidoka 1,267, Nez Perce 1,262, Oneida 76, Owyhee 403, Payette 1,076, Power 333, Shoshone 315, Teton 328, Twin Falls 4,484, Valley 152, Washington 469.
