This article was originally published by Ian Max Stevenson in the Idaho Statesman.
Idaho’s seven-day moving average of new COVID-19 infections fell again on Friday, the same day that Boise Mayor Lauren McLean removed the city’s mask mandate, in line with restrictions loosening across Idaho and the U.S.
Idaho added 173 cases, according to data from Idaho Health and Welfare, and the seven-day average fell to 160 cases per day. Caseloads have been trending downward since early April, when daily averages were between 250 and 300.
The state added five deaths Friday. One of the individuals was in their 80s, two were in their 70s, one was in their 60s and one was in their 50s, according to Health and Welfare. One of the deaths was a Bonneville County man in his 70s, according to Eastern Idaho Public Health. In total, 2,069 people have suffered COVID-related deaths in Idaho.
The number of administered vaccine doses rose to 1,141,083, according to Health and Welfare. In all, 628,334 Idahoans have been partially or fully vaccinated, which is about 35% of the state’s population.
After 12- to 15-year-olds became eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine on Wednesday, Idaho providers started opening up appointments for children, and have continued to do so. At Saltzer Health, children 12 and older can schedule vaccinations at the South Nampa pediatric clinic by calling 208-468-5930. Adults can receive vaccinations on a walk-in basis at Saltzer locations in East Boise, Meridian, Caldwell and Nampa.
Overall, 8,267 people have now been hospitalized with COVID-19 in Idaho and 1,394 people have been admitted to an ICU. The state estimates there have been 109,527 recoveries.
The counties adding new cases on Friday were: Ada (61 new, 52,250 total), Bannock (2 new, 8,779 total), Bingham (1 new, 4,827 total), Boise (1 new, 357 total), Bonner (2 new, 3,250 total), Bonneville (5 new, 14,904 total), Canyon (32 new, 26,815 total), Cassia (1 new, 2,943 total), Elmore (2 new, 2,020 total), Franklin (1 new, 1,188 total), Gooding (1 new, 1,316 total), Idaho (2 new, 1,230 total), Jerome (3 new, 2,609 total), Kootenai (27 new, 18,160 total), Latah (4 new, 3,157 total), Madison (4 new, 7,205 total), Minidoka (2 new, 2,341 total), Nez Perce (3 new, 3,634 total), Owyhee (1 new, 1,068 total), Payette (6 new, 2,570 total), Shoshone (3 new, 1,120 total), Teton (1 new, 1,222 total), Twin Falls (8 new, 9,540 total).
LONG-TERM CARE UPDATE
As of Friday, there were 1,392 active COVID-19 cases associated with 31 long-term care facilities, according to Health and Welfare.
Since last March, there have been 319 outbreaks and 793 deaths — nearly 40% of all recorded deaths — tied to 178 facilities across the state. There have been 9,550 total cases at such facilities.
Below is a list of long-term care facilities by city that have active cases of the coronavirus among residents and/or staff. For an outbreak to be considered “resolved,” more than 28 days must pass (two incubation periods) without any additional cases associated with the facility.
American Falls: Edgewood Spring Creek American Falls; Boise: Edgewood Spring Creek-Overland, Garden Plaza of Valley View-Valley View Nursing & Rehab, Garden Plaza of Valley View-Bridge at Valley View, Arbor Village at Hillcrest, Edgewood Plantation Place, Avamere Transitional Care, Grace Memory Care, Terraces of Boise; Chubbuck: Brookdale Chubbuck; Coeur d’Alene: Life Care Center of Coeur d’Alene; Eagle: Edgewood Spring Creek Eagle; Idaho Falls: Turtle and Crane Assisted Living, Broadway Fields Assisted Living, Lincoln Court Retirement Community;
Meridian: Touchmark at Meadow Lake Village, Aspire-Elk Run, The Cottages-Meridian, Golden Years Oak Crest; Mountain Home: Country Living Retirement of Mountain Home, Ashley Manor-Mountain Home; Nampa: Heron Place, Aspire-Sunset Oaks, Park Place Assisted Living, Sunny Ridge, Southwest Idaho Treatment Center; Pocatello: Gateway Transitional Care Center, Brookdale Pocatello, Elegant Residential Living, State Veterans Home-Pocatello; Sandpoint: Valley Vista Care-Sandpoint; Twin Falls: Grace Assisted Living-Twin Falls.
DAILY DETAILS
Vaccine doses administered in Idaho: 1,141,083, according to Health and Welfare. Of those, 548,896 people have been fully vaccinated.
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 8,267 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 1,394 admissions to the ICU and 10,600 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 May 13, the health system was reporting 22 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 499 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 4%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of May 13, the health system was reporting 24 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 390 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 6.3%.
Boise School District: Reported confirmed cases since May 11: Garfield Elementary (1).
West Ada School District: Reported confirmed cases for May 1-May 14: Centennial High (3), Meridian High (2), Renaissance High (1), Rocky Mountain High (2), Lake Hazel Middle (1), Lowell Scott Middle (1), Sawtooth Middle (3), Star Middle (1), Christine Donnell (1), Hunter Elementary (2), Willow Creek Elementary (1).
Total COVID-19 cases by county (confirmed + probable): Ada 52,250, Adams 341, Bannock 8,779, Bear Lake 382, Benewah 685, Bingham 4,827, Blaine 2,377, Boise 357, Bonner 3,250, Bonneville 14,904, Boundary 868, Butte 210, Camas 71, Canyon 26,815, Caribou 692, Cassia 2,943, Clark 59, Clearwater 1,050, Custer 250, Elmore 2,020, Franklin 1,188, Fremont 1,132, Gem 779, Gooding 1,316, Idaho 1,230, Jefferson 3,004, Jerome 2,609, Kootenai 18,160, Latah 3,157, Lemhi 528, Lewis 397, Lincoln 508, Madison 7,205, Minidoka 2,341, Nez Perce 3,634, Oneida 362, Owyhee 1,068, Payette 2,570, Power 655, Shoshone 1,120, Teton 1,222, Twin Falls 9,540, Valley 838, Washington 1,215.
