This article was originally published by Ruth Brown in the Idaho Statesman.
Idaho recorded 1,207 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus Monday — smashing its prior record for the most confirmed cases statewide in one day.
With 120 new probable cases, Idaho added 1,327 total cases. That’s the second-most during the pandemic.
As hospitalizations reach a dangerous level, Ada County reported 364 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. That is the most confirmed coronavirus cases the county has recorded in one day. The previous record was set on July 18, when Ada County confirmed 345 cases.
Monday’s addition brings the countywide total to 17,148 confirmed cases in Ada County.
Ada County also reached a new record for its 7-day moving average at 245.6 confirmed cases per day.
The state also recorded 13 new deaths due to COVID-19-related causes, bringing the coronavirus death toll in Idaho to 704 people. Twin Falls County recorded six new COVID-19-related deaths, bringing the county death toll to 60 people.
Ada County reported two deaths while Bingham, Canyon, Shoshone, Lincoln and Cassia counties recorded one death each.
In addition to Twin Falls County’s six deaths, the county also recorded 103 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus, bringing the countywide total to 4,484 people infected.
Canyon County reported 92 new confirmed cases, bringing the countywide total to 10,460 confirmed cases, according to Southwest District Health.
The state has now seen 64,122 total confirmed cases of the coronavirus since the pandemic reached Idaho, plus 10,316 total probable cases. Health and Welfare estimates 33,032 of those cases have recovered.
Other counties to report new confirmed cases of the coronavirus include: Nez Perce 107 (1,262 total), Latah 58 (1,126 total), Idaho 23 (453 total), Clearwater 9 (175 total), Lewis 3 (109 total), Bannock 38 (2,109 total), Bingham 28 (1,417 total), Caribou 2 (249 total), Franklin 3 (355 total), Power 2 (333 total), Gem 8 (436 total), Owyhee 2 (403 total), Payette 3 (1,076 total), Washington 3 (468 total), Elmore 14 (485 total), Valley 9 (152 total), Kootenai 67 (4,810 total), Bonner 11 (543 total), Boundary 2 (111 total), Shoshone 5 (315 total), Minidoka 21 (1,267 total), Lincoln 3 (239 total), Jerome 38 (1,248 total), Gooding 14 (571 total), Cassia 23 (1,532 total,) Camas 1 (39 total), Blaine 8 (944 total), Bonneville 83 (4,242 total), Clark 1 (37 total), Fremont 4 (514 total), Jefferson 10 (920 total), Madison 40 (2,731 total), Lemhi 1 (314 total), Teton 4 (328 total)
SCHOOLS IN THE RED
For the first time, Valley County schools are now in the “red” category, meaning there is a very high risk for community transmission.
Central District Health announced Monday that Valley County schools, including Cascade School District and McCall-Donnelly School District, will join Ada and Elmore counties’ schools in the red category. Being categorized as “red” means the counties have a case rate of greater than 30 cases per 100,000 people.
When schools are in the red category, Central District Health recommends minimaluse of school buildings and limited in-person learning. The decisions on education policies, however, are made by school boards.
Boise County schools are in the”yellow” which means the health district recommends schools may be open, but should have limited or staggered use of school buildings.
DAILY DETAILS
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 2,926 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 585 admissions to the ICU and 4,269 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 Nov. 8, the health system was reporting 95 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 443 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 19%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of Nov. 8, the health system was reporting 60 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 295 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 19.6%.
Boise School District: The district says the following schools or units have reported confirmed COVID-19 cases among students or staff since Nov. 3: Amity Elementary (2), Boise High (6), Borah High, (1) Capital High (4), Cynthia Mann Elementary (1), District Services Center (1), Frank Church High (1) Hawthorne Elementary (3), Hillside Junior High (3), Horizon (1), Liberty Elementary (1), Longfellow Elementary (1), Lowell Elementary (2), Morley Nelson Elementary (1), North Junior High (7), Owyhee Elementary (1), Riverglen Junior High (3), Riverside Elementary (4), Shadow Hills Elementary (1), South Junior High (2), Timberline High (3), Trail Wind Elementary (1), West Junior High (1), White Pine Elementary (2), Whittier Elementary (7).
West Ada School District: The district says the following schools or units have reported confirmed COVID-19 cases among students or staff for the weeks of Oct. 25-Nov. 7: Centennial High (4), Eagle High (11), Meridian Academy (1), Meridian High (13), Mountain View High (17), Rocky Mountain High (5), Eagle Middle (2), Lewis and Clark Middle (6), Lowell Scott Middle (3), Meridian Middle (1), Pathways Middle (1), Sawtooth Middle (2), Star Middle (2), Barbara Morgan STEM (1), Cecil D. Andrus Elementary (2), Chief Joseph School of the Arts (2), Christine Donnell (1), Desert Sage Elementary (1), Discovery Elementary (1), Eagle Hills Elementary (1), Eliza Hart Spalding Stem Academy (1), Galileo STEM Academy (1), Hillsdale Elementary (5), Mary McPhearson (1), McMillan Elementary (2), Meridian Elementary (1), Pepper Ridge (1), Peregrine Elementary (1), Pioneer School of the Arts (1), Pleasant View Elementary (1), Ponderosa Elementary (1), Prospect Elementary (1), River Valley Elementary (1).
Testing totals: At the end of the day Saturday, Health and Welfare reported that 410,495 people had been tested statewide. About 15.6% 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 17,148, Adams 68, Bannock 2,109, Bear Lake 102, Benewah 198, Bingham 1,417, Blaine 944, Boise 83, Bonner 543, Bonneville 4,242, Boundary 111, Butte 97, Camas 39, Canyon 10,460, Caribou 249, Cassia 1,532, Clark 37, Clearwater 175, Custer 92, Elmore 485, Franklin 355, Fremont 514, Gem 436, Gooding 571, Idaho 453, Jefferson 920, Jerome 1,248, Kootenai 4,810, Latah 1,126, Lemhi 314, Lewis 109, Lincoln 239, Madison 2,731, Minidoka 1,267, Nez Perce 1,262, Oneida 76, Owyhee 403, Payette 1,076, Power 333, Shoshone 315, Teton 328, Twin Falls 4,484, Valley 152, Washington 469.
