This article was originally published by Jacob Scholl in the Idaho Statesman.
Coronavirus cases continue to appear in schools around Idaho. Bonneville School District 93 is the latest district to report new COVID-19 cases among students.
According to KIFI in Idaho Falls, multiple students and staff are confirmed to have the coronavirus. Students at two elementary schools and one middle school are said to have the virus, as well as single staff members at an elementary school and Bonneville High School. Despite the positives, KIFI reported the school district would hold regular classes Tuesday, as those who tested positive were absent from school for over 48 hours.
The district is one of several around Idaho reporting new cases recently.
The Kuna School Districtnotified parents late last week of two students testing positive for the coronavirus. One student was a second-grader at Crimson Point Elementary and the other a student at Kuna High School. The district began classes last week with a hybrid schedule of in-person and online classes, despite a recommendation from the Boise-based Central District Health to start the school year online.
The Boise School District has reported cases among students and staff at several schools since it began online classes Aug. 17. The West Ada School District began classes Tuesday online with some technical difficulties reported to start the day.
ONLY 57 COVID CASES REPORTED IN IDAHO ON LABOR DAY
Idaho health districts reported just 57 new confirmed coronavirus cases on Monday.
However, it’s unclear if the low case count is the result of the Labor Day holiday or a significant step toward Idaho’s coronavirus recovery.
Only two counties reported double-digit case increases, as Canyon reported 17 and Twin Falls reported 15 on Monday. Ada County reported just six cases, and it now has 10,827 confirmed cases as of Monday.
Despite the low case count, Ada reported the only COVID-19-related death Monday, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. The county now has 130 deaths, and there are 387 reported deaths around Idaho.
As of Monday, Idaho has 31,546 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. IDHW also reported 10 new “probable” cases Monday, bringing that total to 2,496.
State health officials report that 16,760 of those people have recovered from the virus.
IDHW reported 266,742 coronavirus tests have been completed since the pandemic began, and about 11.8% of those tests have returned positive.
Coronavirus cases have been reported in all of Idaho’s 44 counties: Ada 10,827, Adams 24, Bannock 760, Bear Lake 40, Benewah 121, Bingham 613, Blaine 589, Boise 50, Bonner 221, Bonneville 1,630, Boundary 45, Butte 27, Camas 3, Canyon 7,080, Caribou 45, Cassia 536, Clark 18, Clearwater 21, Custer 35, Elmore 244, Franklin 58, Fremont 111, Gem 216, Gooding 208, Idaho 44, Jefferson 321, Jerome 570, Kootenai 2,251, Latah 247, Lemhi 53, Lewis 9, Lincoln 61, Madison 232, Minidoka 533, Nez Perce 299, Oneida 19, Owyhee 284, Payette 647, Power 155, Shoshone 202, Teton 118, Twin Falls 1,616, Valley 79, Washington 284.
Community spread has been reported in all Idaho counties except Adams, Butte, Camas and Franklin.
