Idaho health systems share COVID vaccine. State’s positivity rate drops closer to 5%
Idaho’s coronavirus positivity rate fell for the sixth week in a row and the number of new confirmed cases statewide dipped again Thursday, with Ada County recording just 51 (39,204 total) and the state adding only 210.
The testing positivity rate was reported Thursday as just 5.8% for the week of Feb. 7-13, out of 24,627 tests performed. The last time the state’s positivity rate was any lower was June, and it has declined for six straight weeks since spiking during the holidays. It was 6.4% for the week of Jan. 30-Feb. 6.
Experts say a rate below 5% demonstrates control over the spread of the virus.
Idaho’s seven health districts and the Department of Health and Welfare reported 210 new confirmed coronavirus cases Thursday. With 92 new probable cases, the total came in at 302.
There were, however, 10 deaths added for the second day in a row.
Southwest District Health reported lower numbers for Canyon County, with just 25 new cases (20,733 total). In Eastern Idaho, Madison County continued to report high numbers relative to its population (24 new cases, 5,398 total).
Other counties reporting new cases Thursday were: Adams (1 new, 248 total), Bannock (6 new, 4,609 total), Bear Lake (1 new, 246 total), Benewah (4 new, 448 total), Bingham (4 new, 2,522 total), Blaine (6 new, 1,933 total), Bonner (7 new, 2,373 total), Bonneville (8 new, 8,667 total), Boundary (3 new, 393 total), Butte (2 new, 161 total), Caribou (1 new, 328 total), Elmore (1 new, 1,226 total), Franklin (3 new, 847 total), Fremont (2 new, 870 total), Gem (1 new, 1,322 total), Jefferson (4 new, 1,753 total), Jerome (3 new, 1,950 total), Kootenai (24 new, 14,577 total), Latah (5 new, 2,495 total), Lemhi (2 new, 398 total), Minidoka (2 new, 1,892 total), Nez Perce (1 new, 3,037 total), Oneida (5 new, 217 total), Owyhee (2 new, 872 total), Power (1 new, 455 total), Shoshone (4 new, 935 total), Teton (1 new, 608 total), Twin Falls (3 new, 6,935 total), Valley (3 new, 639 total).
The 10 deaths were reported across several counties: Bannock (1 new, 93 total), Jerome (1 new, 20 total), Minidoka (1 new, 29 total), Twin Falls (2 new, 121 total), Canyon (1 new, 271 total), Payette (1 new, 31 total), Elmore (1 new, 12 total), Kootenai (1 new, 174 total) and Shoshone (1 new, 32 total).
A total of 1,828 Idahoans have died of COVID-19-related causes since the pandemic began in Idaho. At least 137,124 people have tested positive for the virus.
Primary Health shares COVID-19 vaccine with St. Luke’s
Bad weather in several parts of the country this week delayed a shipment of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine meant to be distributed by St. Luke’s Hospital System this weekend, risking the appointments of 1,400 people scheduled to receive their second dose.
But another Idaho system, Primary Health Medical Group, stepped in to help.
St. Luke’s spokesperson Anita Kissée said pharamacy leaders scrambled to find replacement doses rather than canceling the appointments, and even made plans to fly across the country to retrieve doses.
Instead, Primary Health provided St. Luke’s with the 1,400 Moderna doses needed to cover this weekend’s appointments.
“St. Luke’s appreciates Primary Health’s willingness to share this precious resource and to lend a helping hand,” Kissée in an email and on Twitter on Thursday night. “Primary Health has been a great partner through this pandemic and their actions today demonstrate again how valuable it is to have all health care organizations working together for the greater good.”
Once the delayed shipment arrives, Kissée said, St. Luke’s will give Primary Health the same amount of doses in return.
DAILY DETAILS
Vaccine doses administered in Idaho: 277,319, according to Health and Welfare. Of those, 124,281 people have received only their first dose.
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 6,964 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 1,218 admissions to the ICU and 9,376 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 Feb. 17, the health system was reporting 29 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 454 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 5%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of Feb. 17, the health system was reporting 22 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 347 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 8.4%.
Testing totals: Health and Welfare reported that 628,267 people had been tested statewide. About 21.8% of those have been positive for COVID-19.
Boise School District: Reported confirmed cases since Feb. 16: Boise High (1), Borah High (3), Frank Church High (1), Les Bois Jr. High (1), North Jr. High (1), Riverside Elementary (1), Roosevelt Elementary (1), South Jr. High (1), Timberline High (1), West Junior High (2).
West Ada School District: Reported confirmed cases for Feb. 5-18: Centennial High (4), Central Academy (1), Eagle High (2), Meridian High (1), Renaissance High (1), Lake Hazel Middle (2), Pathways Middle (1), Victory Middle (1), Cecil D. Andrus Elementary (3), Hillsdale Elementary (1), Mary McPherson Elementary (1), Pepper Ridge Elementary (1), River Valley Elementary (1), Silver Sage Elementary (1), Summerwind STEM Academy (1).
Counties with confirmed COVID-19 cases: Ada 39,204, Adams 248, Bannock 4,609, Bear Lake 246, Benewah 448, Bingham 2,522, Blaine 1,933, Boise 230, Bonner 2,373, Bonneville 8,667, Boundary 393, Butte 161, Camas 52, Canyon 20,733, Caribou 328, Cassia 2,427, Clark 44, Clearwater 746, Custer 175, Elmore 1,226, Franklin 847, Fremont 870, Gem 1,322, Gooding 905, Idaho 878, Jefferson 1,753, Jerome 1,950, Kootenai 14,577, Latah 2,495, Lemhi 398, Lewis 276, Lincoln 370, Madison 5,398, Minidoka 1,892, Nez Perce 3,037, Oneida 217, Owyhee 872, Payette 1,884, Power 455, Shoshone 935, Teton 608, Twin Falls 6,935, Valley 639, Washington 846.
This story was originally published February 18, 2021 at 9:08 PM.
