This article was originally published by Ruth Brown in the Idaho Statesman.
With Tuesday’s 821 newly reported cases, Idaho has a new record for the number of confirmed coronavirus cases reported in one day.
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare also reported 119 new “probable” cases on Tuesday, for a total of 940 cases in one day — the largest number the state has reported in one day.
Health officials reported six more Idaho deaths related to COVID-19 on Tuesday, including a Bonneville County man in his 40s, according to Eastern Idaho Public Health.
Bonneville County also reported the death of a man in his 60s and a woman in her 80s. Other counties reporting fatalities included Canyon, Gooding and Shoshone.
Statewide, Idaho’s death toll is now at 541 people.
Ada County reported 151 new confirmed cases Tuesday, for a countywide total of 13,730 cases of the coronavirus, according to Boise-based Central District Health. That’s the largest number of new cases in one day in the county since Aug. 15.
Canyon County reported 89 new confirmed cases Tuesday, for a countywide total of 8,708 cases of the coronavirus, according to Southwest District Health. That’s the largest number of new cases in one day in the county since Aug. 14.
Kootenai County also saw a steep increase Tuesday, with 104 newly confirmed cases, according to Health and Welfare. That brings the countywide total to 3,376 infected people.
With Tuesday’s new cases, Idaho has now seen 48,755 confirmed cases of the virus since the pandemic reached Idaho.
Health and Welfare also reported a total of 6,139 probable case statewide. The department estimates that about 26,549 people have recovered from the virus.
Other counties reporting new coronavirus cases Tuesday include: Latah 7 (807 total), Nez Perce 44 (626 total), Idaho 11 (290 total), Clearwater 2 (109 total), Bannock 27 (1,528 total), Bear Lake 3 (61 total), Bingham 18 (1,179 total), Butte 4 (74 total), Caribou 5 (176 total), Franklin 8 (261 total), Power 1 (296 total), Elmore 1 (340 total), Valley 1 (100 total), Gem 4 (343 total), Owyhee 4 (337 total), Payette 7 (940 total), Washington 1 (392 total), Benewah 2 (164 total), Bonner 2 (399 total), Boundary 2 (60 total), Bonneville 71 (3,236 total), Fremont 9 (339 total), Jefferson 15 (724 total), Lemhi 7 (166 total), Madison 61 (1,887 total), Teton 9 (243 total), Twin Falls 65 (3,035 total), Cassia 19 (1,097), Minidoka 18 (1,003 total), Jerome 10 (861 total), Blaine 19 (792 total), Gooding 16 (385 total), Lincoln 3 (114 total), Camas 1 (33 total).
CALDWELL HIGH CLOSES FOR IN-PERSON LEARNING
The Caldwell School District announced Tuesday that Caldwell High School students and staff will move back to remote learning through at least Nov. 2.
“A recent outbreak of (COVID-19) resulted in more than 14% of the CHS staff needing to quarantine because they are positive COVID or experienced significant exposure to positive individuals. These valued staff members must remain home through at least Nov. 2,” according to a press release from the school district.
The decision does not impact Caldwell elementary and middle schools that are currently doing hybrid teaching.
The district said illness among students remains low, as of Tuesday.
“However, we cannot staff the facility at a level to safely support in-person learning,” according to the press release. “We are hopeful that this time of remote learning will ensure our staff return to health and the spread of COVID is limited among the CHS community.”
EMMETT SCHOOL DISTRICT REMAINS OPEN
Emmett School District Superintendent Craig Woods reminded the public Tuesday to remain vigilent as the district is open for in-person learning.
“We don’t want to take this for granted,” Woods said through a press release. “Masks are not required, except in cases where social distancing can’t be achieved. People are tired of this pandemic, yet we don’t want to relax and have to close schools. Face-to-face learning is the best way to educate our students.”
Between Oct. 6 and Monday, the school district has confirmed coronavirus cases in two students and/or staff members and no probable cases. The district has 27 students and staff in quarantine with 17 people suspected to have the virus.
DAILY DETAILS
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 2,277 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 509 admissions to the ICU and 3,466 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. 19, the health system was reporting 72 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 472 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 11%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of Oct. 19, the health system was reporting 43 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 339 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 13.6%.
Boise School District: The district says the following schools or units have reported confirmed COVID-19 cases among students or staff since Oct. 6: Amity Elementary (1), Boise Online School (1), Capital High (1), Cynthia Mann Elementary (2), district services (2), Dennis Technical Education Center (1), Frank Church High School (2), Hawthorne Elementary (1), Hidden Springs Elementary (1), Koelsch Elementary (1), Monroe Elementary (1), North Junior High (1), Riverside Elementary (1), Roosevelt Elementary (1), Valley View Elementary (1), White Pine Elementary (2), Whitney Elementary (1).
Testing totals: At the end of the day Monday, Health and Welfare reported that 357,833 people had been tested statewide. About 13.6% 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 13,730, Adams 30, Bannock 1,528, Bear Lake 61, Benewah 164, Bingham 1,179, Blaine 792, Boise 60, Bonner 399, Bonneville 3,236, Boundary 60, Butte 74, Camas 33, Canyon 8,708, Caribou 176, Cassia 1,097, Clark 33, Clearwater 109, Custer 83, Elmore 340, Franklin 261, Fremont 339, Gem 343, Gooding 385, Idaho 290, Jefferson 724, Jerome 861, Kootenai 3,376, Latah 807, Lemhi 166, Lewis 69, Lincoln 114, Madison 1,887, Minidoka 1,003, Nez Perce 626, Oneida 36, Owyhee 337, Payette 940, Power 296, Shoshone 233, Teton 243, Twin Falls 3,035, Valley 100, Washington 392.
