This article was written by Nicole Blanchard of the Idaho Statesman.
Idaho reported more than 405 confirmed coronavirus infections on Sunday as the state again set a record high daily case rate for the third day in a row. The numbers come amid another statewide and nationwide spike in cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus.
The 405 confirmed and 22 probable cases reported Sunday boosted the state’s seven-day moving average of confirmed and probable cases to 621.4, its highest ever. The previous record was set Saturday when the average reached 597.1 — which had topped the previous day’s record of 578. Before Friday, Idaho’s record seven-day moving average was 568.9, set on July 19.
More than one-quarter of Sunday’s cases were reported in Ada County, which added 111 confirmed diagnoses to its total of 12,949 cases since the pandemic hit Idaho in March. Ada County, Idaho’s most populous county, was second to Madison County on Sunday. Madison, home to Rexburg, reported 115 new cases, continuing its streak as a hot spot for the state.
Earlier this week, the White House Coronavirus Task Force recommended Rexburg-based BYU-Idaho take classes fully online to help prevent the spread of the disease. The school has not yet announced any plans to do so. To date, Madison County has recorded 1,315 COVID-19 cases.
Five Idaho counties reported double-digit COVID-19 cases on Sunday: Blaine (12 new, 721 total), Bonneville (61 new, 2,741 total), Jefferson (19 new, 617 total), Kootenai (25 new, 2,982 total) and Twin Falls (25 new, 2,587 total).
Canyon County, which for the past several months has added numerous cases each day, reported only a single new COVID-19 case Sunday. The new case brings the county total to 8,193 cases since March. Canyon County also reported an anomalous zero cases last Sunday despite adding dozens of new cases during the last week.
Numbers on Sunday have been skewed for months, with some health districts reporting to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Eastern Idaho Public Health reporting its own numbers and other districts not updating their numbers at all.
These Idaho counties also added new cases on Sunday: Bonner (1 new, 361 total), Cassia (5 new, 861 total), Custer (2 new, 70 total), Elmore (1 new, 315 total), Fremont (7 new, 267 total), Gooding (1 new, 314 total), Jerome (5 new, 773 total), Latah (2 new, 680 total), Lemhi (3 new, 109 total), Minidoka (5 new, 814 total) and Teton (4 new, 210 total).
Since the start of the pandemic, 43,484 Idahoans have tested positive for the coronavirus. Health and Welfare has reported 4,953 “probable” cases (22 new). IDHW estimates that of those infected, 24,304 have recovered.
DAILY DETAILS
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 2,041 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 479 admissions to the ICU and 3,199 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 Oct. 10, the health system was reporting 49 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 450 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 10%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of Oct. 10, the health system was reporting 25 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 310 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 10.8%.
Boise School District: The district says the following schools or units have reported confirmed COVID-19 cases among students or staff since Oct. 6: Cynthia Mann Elementary (1), Frank Church High School (2), Hidden Springs Elementary (1), Koelsch Elementary (1).
Testing totals: At the end of the day Saturday, Health and Welfare reported that 335,670 people had been tested statewide. About 12.9% of those have been positive for COVID-19.
Counties with community spread: All counties except Adams have been announced to have community spread.
Counties with confirmed COVID-19 cases: Ada 12,949, Adams 27, Bannock 1,312, Bear Lake 53, Benewah 159, Bingham 1,050, Blaine 721, Boise 58, Bonner 361, Bonneville 2,741, Boundary 51, Butte 61, Camas 31, Canyon 8,192, Caribou 136, Cassia 856, Clark 33, Clearwater 84, Custer 68, Elmore 314, Franklin 205, Fremont 267, Gem 314, Gooding 314, Idaho 233, Jefferson 617, Jerome 768, Kootenai 2957, Latah 678, Lemhi 109, Lewis 49, Lincoln 88, Madison 1,315, Minidoka 809, Nez Perce 489, Oneida 30, Owyhee 320, Payette 865, Power 278, Shoshone 218, Teton 210, Twin Falls 2,562, Valley 96, Washington 365.
