This article was originally published by Rachel Roberts in the Idaho Statesman.
Idaho’s recent increase in COVID-19 cases continued its upward climb Wednesday.
The state’s seven public health districts reported a combined 516 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 127 new probables for a single-day increase of 643. It is the fifth-most cases in a single day since the start of the pandemic and marks the second time in the last six days the Gem State has seen an increase of 600 or more cases.
Wednesday’s caseload pushed Idaho’s seven-day moving average to 485.4 cases per day — the 15th consecutive day with an increase. Idaho was down to an average of 233.9 cases per day as of Sept. 9.
New deaths related to COVID-19 were reported in Ada (148 total), Canyon (102 total) and Twin Falls (38 total) counties. All three individuals were men 70 or older, according to updated demographics from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Idaho has lost 469 residents to the virus, with a case fatality rate of about 1.11%.
Caseloads were up across the state, with all seven public health districts reporting 40 or more new confirmed cases. Twelve counties showed double-figure increases.
Ada County led the way with 86 new confirmed cases (11,955 total), according to Central District Health, and the county’s seven-day moving average grew for the fifth day in a row, to 71.6. It was as low as 31.1 cases per day on Sept. 13.
Latah County, which includes the city of Moscow — home to the University of Idaho — reported a record 63 new confirmed cases (458 total), according to Idaho North Central District. Twin Falls (63 new, 2,130 total), Canyon (54 new, 7,779 total), Kootenai (30 new, 2,714 total), Bonneville (30 new, 2,308 total), Bannock (29 new, 1,056 total), Madison (26 new, 712 total), Payette (16 new, 792 total), Elmore (13 new, 287 total), Jefferson (13 new, 503 total) and Jerome (11 new, 692 total) counties also saw increases of 10 or more cases.
The other counties adding new confirmed cases on Wednesday were Adams (1 new, 28 total), Bear Lake (1 new, 47 total), Benewah (2 new, 148 total), Bingham (6 new, 941 total), Blaine (2 new, 653 total), Bonner (7 new, 317 total), Boundary (1 new, 48 total), Butte (1 new, 37 total), Cassia (9 new, 688 total), Clark (1 new, 30 total), Clearwater (1 new, 47 total), Custer (4 new, 63 total), Franklin (3 new, 132 total), Fremont (1 new, 189 total), Gem (2 new, 299 total), Gooding (3 new, 253 total), Idaho (5 new, 197 total), Lemhi (1 new, 84 total), Lincoln (1 new, 73 total), Minidoka (6 new, 655 total), Nez Perce (5 new, 426 total), Owyhee (3 new, 303 total), Power (5 new, 248 total), Shoshone (1 new, 214 total), Teton (5 new, 168 total), Valley (3 new, 89 total) and Washington (3 new, 343 total)
Central District Health removed one case from Boise (54 total). Cases are sometimes removed when an investigation determines that an individual’s permanent residence is in a different county or state.
Since the start of the pandemic, 38,415 Idahoans have tested positive for the coronavirus. Health and Welfare reported 3,862 “probable” cases (127 new). IDHW estimates that of those infected, 22,180 people are presumed recovered.
DAILY DETAILS
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 1,859 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 457 admissions to the ICU and 2,824 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 Sept. 29, the health system was reporting 33 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 479 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 8%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of Sept. 29, the health system was reporting 32 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 364 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 8.5%.
Boise School District: The district saysthe following schools or units have reported confirmed COVID-19 cases among students or staff since Sept. 22: Borah High School (2 cases), Boise Online school (1), Dennis Technical Education Center (1), Hawthorne Elementary (1), Hillside Junior High (1).
Testing totals: At the end of the day Wednesday, Health and Welfare reported that 309,156 people had been tested statewide. About 12.4% of those have been positive for COVID-19.
Counties with community spread: All counties except Adams, Butte and Franklin have been announced to have community spread.
Counties with confirmed COVID-19 cases: Ada 11,955, Adams 28, Bannock 1,056, Bear Lake 47, Benewah 148, Bingham 941, Blaine 653, Boise 54, Bonner 317, Bonneville 2,308, Boundary 48, Butte 37, Camas 30, Canyon 7,779, Caribou 103, Cassia 688, Clark 30, Clearwater 47, Custer 63, Elmore 287, Franklin 132, Fremont 189, Gem 299, Gooding 253, Idaho 197, Jefferson 503, Jerome 692, Kootenai 2,714, Latah 521, Lemhi 84, Lewis 34, Lincoln 73, Madison 712, Minidoka 655, Nez Perce 426, Oneida 25, Owyhee 303, Payette 792, Power 248, Shoshone 214, Teton 168, Twin Falls 2,130, Valley 89, Washington 343.
