Idaho COVID-19 test positivity, case rates decline; officials report 873 cases, 8 deaths
Two key COVID-19 metrics continue to decline, according to Idaho Department of Health and Welfare data, indicating the state may be past the worst of its recent surge.
On Thursday, the department reported that the statewide test positivity rate — the percentage of all tests that are positive for COVID — fell to 11.5% for the week of Oct. 17-23. That’s down from 12.3% the previous week and a peak of 17.3% in early September.
Additionally, Idaho’s seven-day moving average for new daily cases fell below 1,000 cases per day for the first time in more than a month. By Thursday, that number was 999.7 cases on average per day over the past seven days. That average is the lowest since Sept. 9, when the seven-day average was 985.6.
IDHW is still warning that its data are incomplete as it works through a case backlog.
Officials on Thursday reported 873 new COVID cases and eight deaths related to the illness. The deaths were reported in the following counties: Ada (2 new, 770 total), Canyon (4 new, 511 total), Idaho (1 new, 35 total) and Jefferson (1 new, 44 total).
To date, Idaho health officials have reported 289,794 cases of COVID-19 and 3,509 COVID-related deaths. Roughly 128,500 people are presumed recovered from the illness.
For a county-by-county breakdown of Thursday’s new cases and deaths, see our “What we know” file at IdahoStatesman.com.
This story was originally published October 28, 2021 at 6:50 PM.
