This article was originally written by Nicole Blanchard for the Idaho Statesman.
Idaho health officials reported 515 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and four new COVID-19-related deaths Saturday, according to Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and health district data.
The reports encompassed two days’ worth of data, as no updates were given on Christmas.
Statewide, Idaho reported 402 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 113 new probable cases. Officials also reported four new COVID-19-related deaths in the following counties: Ada (2 new, 335 total), Bannock (1 new, 57 total) and Owyhee (1 new, 19 total). The Bannock County death was a man in his 90s, according to a news release from Southeastern Idaho Public Health. No details were given on the other deaths.
To date, 1,357 Idahoans have died of COVID-19.
More than half of Saturday’s reported confirmed cases were in Ada County, where Health and Welfare reported 204 new cases. It’s a trend that has been consistent in recent days as Boise-based Central District Health works through a backlog in its caseload. The district said Thursday that it believed the incidence rate in Ada County has fallen slightly in the past 14 days; however, the extent of the county’s caseload still isn’t clear. Officials have reported 31,689 confirmed cases in Ada County since March.
Officials removed a single case in each of the following counties: Lincoln (337 total), Power (417 total) and Washington (740 total)
The following Idaho counties also reported new confirmed cases on Saturday: Bannock (5 new, 3,707 total), Bingham (5 new, 2,222 total), Blaine (1 new, 1,423 total), Boise (4 new, 184 total), Bonner (14 new, 1,540 total), Bonneville (29 new, 7,538 total), Boundary (2 new, 246 total), Canyon (32 new, 17,393 total), Caribou (1 new, 274 total), Cassia (6 new, 2,211 total), Elmore (25 new, 1,000 total), Franklin (1 new, 702 total), Fremont (2 new, 765 total), Gem (3 new, 1,067 total), Gooding (1 new, 833 total), Jefferson (7 new, 1,535 total), Jerome (1 new, 1,744 total), Kootenai (16 new, 10,725 total), Lemhi (1 new, 389 total), Madison (16 new, 4,593 total), Minidoka (3 new, 1,746 total), Owyhee (1 new, 768 total), Shoshone (2 new, 760 total), Teton (2 new, 473 total), Twin Falls (2 new, 6,233 total) and Valley (19 new, 362 total).
DAILY DETAILS
Vaccine doses administered in Idaho: 9,673, according to Health and Welfare.
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 5,392 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 984 admissions to the ICU and 6,629 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 Dec. 25, the health system was reporting 81 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 397 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 13%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of Dec. 25, the health system was reporting 72 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 242 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 23.6%.
Testing totals: At the end of the day Saturday, Health and Welfare reported that 536,767 people had been tested statewide. About 21% of those have been positive for COVID-19.
Counties with confirmed COVID-19 cases: Ada 31,689, Adams 177, Bannock 3,707, Bear Lake 190, Benewah 338, Bingham 2,222, Blaine 1,423, Boise 184, Bonner 1,540, Bonneville 7,538, Boundary 246, Butte 130, Camas 42, Canyon 17,393, Caribou 274, Cassia 2,211, Clark 44, Clearwater 613, Custer 157, Elmore 1,000, Franklin 702, Fremont 765, Gem 1,067, Gooding 833, Idaho 803, Jefferson 1,535, Jerome 1,744, Kootenai 10,725, Latah 2,000, Lemhi 389, Lewis 250, Lincoln 337, Madison 4,593, Minidoka 1,746, Nez Perce 2,720, Oneida 174, Owyhee 768, Payette 1,647, Power 417, Shoshone 760, Teton 473, Twin Falls 6,233, Valley 362, Washington 740.
