This article was originally written by Nicole Blanchard for the Idaho Statesman.
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ada County made up the largest portion of Saturday’s new COVID-19 cases in Idaho, health data showed, as the state’s case numbers appear to continue declining.
Ada County reported 75 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infection of the 205 new cases statewide (143 of those were confirmed and 62 probable). Earlier in the week, Ada County reported unusually low case numbers but appears to have returned to a more normal caseload since Friday.
The 205 total cases reported Saturday indicate the state’s downward trend in case numbers seems to be continuing — though it did not appear that Southwest District Health, which includes Canyon County, updated its data on Saturday, potentially skewing numbers lower. By Saturday, the state had a 14-day moving average of 258 new confirmed and probable cases per day, the lowest in months. Its seven-day moving average increased slightly from last Saturday (from 237 to 278 cases per day) but remained below 300 average daily cases for 14 consecutive days.
No new COVID-19-related deaths were reported Saturday, leaving the statewide total at 1,862. Death reports have fluctuated in the last week, with no new deaths reported on several days and double-digit deaths recorded on other days. In the last week, officials reported 34 COVID-19-related deaths in Idaho.
The following counties reported new cases on Saturday: Ada (75 new, 39,650 total), Bannock (18 new, 4,690 total), Bingham (4 new, 2,552 total), Blaine (2 new, 1,953 total), Bonner (2 new, 2,414 total), Bonneville (9 new, 8,876 total), Cassia (1 new, 2,439 total), Elmore (1 new, 1,248 total), Franklin (3 new, 861 total), Fremont (3 new, 893 total), Gooding (1 new, 913 total), Jefferson (2 new, 1,803 total), Latah (4 new, 2,579 total), Lewis (1 new, 279 total), Lincoln (1 new, 371 total), Madison (6 new, 5,550 total), Nez Perce (4 new, 3,060 total), Oneida (2 new, 222 total), Teton (1 new, 615 total), Twin Falls (3 new, 6,997 total) and Valley (1 new, 642 total).
Health officials removed one case in Minidoka County (1,896 total).
To date, Idaho has reported 138,892 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 32,317 probable cases. The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare estimates more than 92,000 people have recovered from COVID-19.
DAILY DETAILS
Vaccine doses administered in Idaho: 359,234, according to Health and Welfare. Of those, 120,420 people have received only their first dose.
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 7,076 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 1,231 admissions to the ICU and 9,574 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. 27, the health system was reporting 11 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 370 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 4%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of Feb. 27, the health system was reporting 26 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 336 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 9.1%.
Testing totals: Health and Welfare reported that 638,919 people had been tested statewide. About 21.7% of those have been positive for COVID-19.
Boise School District: Reported confirmed cases since Feb. 16: Adams Elementary (1), Amity Elementary (2), Boise High (1), Borah High (5), Capital High (2), District Services (2), Fairmont Jr. High (1), Frank Church High (1), Hillside Jr. High (1), Les Bois Jr. High (1), North Jr. High (1), Riverglen Jr. High (3), Riverside Elementary (1), Roosevelt Elementary (1), South Jr. High (2), Taft Elementary (1), Timberline High (2), Trail Wind Elementary (2), West Junior High (6), Whittier Elementary (1).
West Ada School District: Reported confirmed cases for Feb. 14-27: Centennial High (2), Eagle High (7), Renaissance High (1), Rocky Mountain High (5), Lake Hazel Middle (1) Lewis and Clark Middle (1), Lowell Scott Middle (1), Meridian Middle (1) Pathways Middle (1), Victory Middle (1), Barbara Morgan STEM Academy (1), Cecil D. Andrus Elementary (1), Peregrine Elementary (2), Prospect Elementary (1).
Counties with confirmed COVID-19 cases: Ada 39,650, Adams 251, Bannock 4,690, Bear Lake 253, Benewah 483, Bingham 2,552, Blaine 1,953, Boise 228, Bonner 2,414, Bonneville 8,876, Boundary 414, Butte 163, Camas 52, Canyon 20,914, Caribou 330, Cassia 2,439, Clark 44, Clearwater 748, Custer 178, Elmore 1,248, Franklin 861, Fremont 893, Gem 1,333, Gooding 913, Idaho 879, Jefferson 1,803, Jerome 1,955, Kootenai 14,746, Latah 2,579, Lemhi 401, Lewis 279, Lincoln 371, Madison 5,550, Minidoka 1,896, Nez Perce 3,060, Oneida 222, Owyhee 878, Payette 1,891, Power 457, Shoshone 944, Teton 615, Twin Falls 6,997, Valley 642, Washington 847.
