Idaho’s COVID positivity rate falls again, hospitalization figures improve
Idaho’s positivity rate fell for the second straight week, indicating that the wave of omicron cases in Idaho has begun to fade.
After rising for five straight weeks to a peak of 37.8% the week of Jan. 16, the rate fell 6 points the week of Jan. 23, to 32%, and was 25.1% the week of Jan. 30, the most recent data available, according to the Department of Health and Welfare.
The decline matches the trajectory of the state’s estimated incidence rate, which is believed to have fallen by nearly two-thirds since Jan. 24.
But the current positivity rate, while diminished, is still significant. Prior to the omicron surge, a 25% positivity rate would have broken all previous records by 6 percentage points. Public health officials aim for a rate of 5% or less to indicate that spread of an respiratory virus is under control.
“The case numbers are crazy high relative to what they’ve been early on in the pandemic,” Dr. Kathryn Turner, deputy state epidemiologist, said at a Tuesday press briefing.
While case numbers are falling, the brunt of the omicron wave may still be coming.
Hospitalizations tend to lag multiple weeks behind cases, Health and Welfare Director Dave Jeppesen said on Tuesday. However, since Jan. 30, hospitalizations have fallen from 614 patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 to 537 on Feb. 7, according to state data.
“We’re not totally clear if hospitalizations have peaked yet or not,” Jeppesen said.
This story was originally published February 10, 2022 at 6:21 PM.
