Coronavirus: St. Luke’s hospital reports spike in COVID-19 patients as Idaho is hit hard
St. Luke’s Magic Valley, a hospital serving the Twin Falls region, has been struggling to keep up with a COVID-19 surge in the area. And on Wednesday morning, it reported that it had 75 suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients, according to a spokesperson for the St. Luke’s Health System.
“Well friends, I’m so sad to say we have *75* COVID19+ patients in @StLukesHealth Magic Valley hospital this morning. The hospital had to divert *ICU* patients temporarily last night ... and say ‘no’ to the Elko hospital pleading with us to take patients because Utah won’t,” St. Luke’s Public Relations Manager Anita Kissee said in a tweet. “Treasure Valley @Stlukeshealth hospitals are helping support Magic Valley, but we’re also VERY busy and nearing capacity, especially in our ICUs that are full of COVID-19+ patients and others who still need intensive care.”
The Twin Falls hospital yesterday had reported 47 adult COVID-19 patients on the St. Luke’s public COVID-19 data dashboard. But unlike the numbers reported to hospital leadership Wednesday morning, that count doesn’t include pediatric patients, or hospitalized patients with suspected coronavirus infections who are awaiting test results. New patients also came into the hospital overnight, Kissee told the Statesman.
The number of patients changes throughout the day as other patients are discharged, “so it’s likely that number won’t remain that high,” she said, “but is an indication of the serious level of activity in our state, how quickly things can change and the impact on our hospitals.”
The Magic Valley hospital has been forced to go on diversion the past two weekends, a result of the COVID-19 surge and staffing challenges. The hospital had to send four to five patients each weekend to other hospitals — mostly to St. Luke’s hospitals in the Treasure Valley, two hours away.
Over 1,200 cases, 16 dead in Idaho’s latest coronavirus count
Idaho health officials reported 16 new coronavirus deaths on Tuesday, as well as 1,230 new cases — 993 confirmed and 237 probable.
The 16 new deaths were reported in 10 different counties. Four deaths were in Ada County, three in Canyon and two in Bannock. Single deaths were reported in Nez Perce, Idaho, Bonneville, Payette, Kootenai, Twin Falls and Cassia.
Idaho’s coronavirus death total is now up to 720.
Canyon County led the state with 201 new confirmed cases on Tuesday, the most the county has reported in a day since Aug. 6. Canyon now has 10,661 confirmed coronavirus cases.
Ada County was just behind, adding 198 confirmed cases of Tuesday, as well as reporting 116 probable cases. Idaho’s most populous county now has 17,346 confirmed cases.
A third Idaho county also reported a triple-digit case total on Tuesday. Kootenai County added 134 new confirmed cases, bringing its total up to 4,944, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
Numerous counties reported double-digit case counts Tuesday, including Nez Perce (51 new), Latah (22), Clearwater (10), Bannock (15), Bingham (12), Franklin (11), Payette (15), Bonner (23), Shoshone (25), Bonneville (73), Lemhi (11), Madison (39), Teton (14), Twin Falls (34) and Minidoka (13).
As of Tuesday, Idaho has 65,115 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, as well as 10,553 probable cases. Health and Welfare reports there are 413,838 people in Idaho who have been tested for COVID-19, and around 15.7% of those have been positive.
All of Idaho’s 44 counties have confirmed cases of the coronavirus: Ada 17,346, Adams 70, Bannock 2,124, Bear Lake 104, Benewah 200, Bingham 1,429, Blaine 947, Boise 85, Bonner 566, Bonneville 4,315, Boundary 115, Butte 98, Camas 39, Canyon 10,661, Caribou 250, Cassia 1,551, Clark 37, Clearwater 185, Custer 92, Elmore 486, Franklin 366, Fremont 518, Gem 444, Gooding 572, Idaho 462, Jefferson 928, Jerome 1,253, Kootenai 4,944, Latah 1,148, Lemhi 325, Lewis 111, Lincoln 241, Madison 2,770, Minidoka 1,280, Nez Perce 1,313, Oneida 79, Owyhee 408, Payette 1,091, Power 335, Shoshone 340, Teton 342, Twin Falls 4,518, Valley 152, Washington 475.
