This article was originally published by Rachel Roberts of the Idaho Statesman.
Idaho reported more than 1,000 new cases of COVID-19 for an unprecedented fifth day in a row on Saturday.
The Gem State added 829 new confirmed and 353 new probable cases for a total of 1,182 cases, according to updated data collected from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Southeastern Idaho Public Health and Eastern Idaho Public Health.
Idaho’s seven-day moving average rose to an all-time high of 1,102.4 cases per day. The average has increased by 33.8% since Nov. 1 (824.1).
The caseload is taking its toll on the state’s hospitals, which had a record 320 patients hospitalized with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 as of Nov. 4. That figure includes a pandemic-high 90 patients with the coronavirus in intensive care.
Idaho has seen 62,282 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, plus 10,152 total probable cases. Health and Welfare estimates 32,330 of those cases have recovered.
For the second day in a row and the third time this week, Ada County announced more than 200 new confirmed cases with 257 (16,519 total) on Saturday, plus 110 new probable cases. Canyon (131 new, 10,296 total), Kootenai (90 new, 4,690 total), Twin Falls (56 new, 4,343 total), Bonneville (47 new, 4,091 total) and Madison (41 new, 2,658 total) counties also saw significant increases.
The other counties adding new confirmed cases were Bannock (19 new, 2,071 total), Bear Lake (20 new, 101 total), Bingham (17 new, 1,389 total), Blaine (4 new, 934 total), Boise (1 new, 81 total), Bonner (9 new, 522 total), Butte (2 new, 97 total), Cassia (13 new, 1,502 total), Clark (2 new, 36 total), Clearwater (1 new, 166 total), Elmore (2 new, 453 total), Franklin (1 new, 352 total), Fremont (7 new, 506 total), Gem (3 new, 427 total), Gooding (4 new, 555 total), Jefferson (12 new, 891 total), Jerome (17 new, 1,208 total), Latah (6 new, 1,068 total), Lemhi (10 new, 310 total), Lewis (3 new, 106 total), Lincoln (2 new, 234 total), Minidoka (13 new, 1,243 total), Nez Perce (12 new, 1,155 total), Oneida (4 new, 76 total), Owyhee (6 new, 395 total), Payette (1 new, 1,070 total), Power (1 new, 331 total), Shoshone (4 new, 309 total), Teton (8 new, 315 total) and Valley (3 new, 140 total).
DAILY DETAILS
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 2,870 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 576 admissions to the ICU and 4,213 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. 6, the health system was reporting 97 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 482 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 19%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of Nov. 6, the health system was reporting 60 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 327 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 18.6%.
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 (1), Cynthia Mann Elementary (1), District Services Center (1), Hawthorne Elementary (3), Hillside Junior High (2), Longfellow Elementary (1), Lowell Elementary (2), Morley Nelson Elementary (1), North Junior High (6), Riverglen Junior High (1), Riverside Elementary (2), Shadow Hills Elementary (1), South Junior High (2), Timberline High (3), West Junior High (1), White Pine Elementary (1), Whittier Elementary (6).
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. 18-31: Centennial High (2), Eagle High (6), Meridian High (13), Mountain View High (7), Renaissance High (1), Rocky Mountain High (4), Eagle Middle (2), Heritage Middle (1), Lake Hazel Middle (2), Lewis and Clark Middle (5), Lowell Scott Middle (3), Meridian Middle (1), Sawtooth Middle (2), Star Middle (1), Victory Middle (1), Cecil D. Andrus Elementary (2), Chief Joseph School of the Arts (2), Discovery Elementary (1), Eagle Hills Elementary (1), Eliza Hart Spalding Stem Academy (1), Galileo STEM Academy (1), Hillsdale Elementary (1), McMillan Elementary (3), Meridian Elementary (2), Paramount Elementary (1), Peregrine Elementary (1), Pioneer School of the Arts (1), River Valley Elementary (3).
Testing totals: At the end of the day Saturday, Health and Welfare reported that 405,569 people had been tested statewide. About 15.4% 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 16,519, Adams 68, Bannock 2,071, Bear Lake 101, Benewah 196, Bingham 1,389, Blaine 934, Boise 81, Bonner 522, Bonneville 4,091, Boundary 108, Butte 97, Camas 38, Canyon 10,296, Caribou 247, Cassia 1,502, Clark 36, Clearwater 166, Custer 92, Elmore 453, Franklin 352, Fremont 506, Gem 427, Gooding 555, Idaho 430, Jefferson 891, Jerome 1,208, Kootenai 4,690, Latah 1,068, Lemhi 310, Lewis 106, Lincoln 234, Madison 2,658, Minidoka 1,243, Nez Perce 1,155, Oneida 76, Owyhee 395, Payette 1,070, Power 331, Shoshone 309, Teton 315, Twin Falls 4,343, Valley 140, Washington 463.
