This article was originally written by Nicole Blanchard for the Idaho Statesman.
Idaho health officials on Saturday reported 235 new cases of COVID-19, with more than one-third of the cases coming from the eastern part of the state, which has seen virus outbreaks in recent weeks.
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported that 81 of the 235 confirmed and probable cases came from three counties in the Eastern Idaho Public Health district: Bonneville (47 new, 13,555 total), Jefferson (11 new, 2,686 total) and Madison (23 new, 6,699 total) counties. On Friday, health district officials pleaded with the public to follow public safety directives. Their plea came one day after the New York Times declared Idaho Falls (in Bonneville County) and Rexburg (in Madison County) two of the three worst COVID-19 outbreak areas in the country.
Officials on Saturday reported no new deaths related to COVID-19. It’s the first time in nearly two weeks that no new deaths have been reported. Since the beginning of March, Health and Welfare has reported 82 deaths. In all, 1,941 Idahoans have died of COVID-19.
Idaho officials have reported 177,420 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.
The following counties also reported new cases Saturday: Ada (74 new, 48,347 total), Bannock (13 new, 8,226 total), Bingham (7 new, 4,529 total), Blaine (6 new, 2,220 total), Canyon (33 new, 25,263 total), Caribou (1 new, 631 total), Cassia (2 new, 2,886 total), Elmore (2 new, 1,661 total), Franklin (2 new, 1,107 total), Fremont (3 new, 1,061 total), Minidoka (2 new, 2,304 total), Nez Perce (2 new, 3,447 total), Oneida (2 new, 337 total), Owyhee (1 new, 1,031 total), Payette (2 new, 2,419 total), Power (2 new, 640 total), Twin Falls (2 new, 9,094 total) and Valley (2 new, 819 total).
Officials removed one case in each of the following counties: Gem (1,712 total), Kootenai (17,018 total), Latah (2,882 total) and Teton (1,128 total).
DAILY DETAILS
Vaccine doses administered in Idaho: 594,511, according to Health and Welfare. Of those, 230,841 people have been fully vaccinated.
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 7,434 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 1,276 admissions to the ICU and 9,860 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 March 20, the health system was reporting 23 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 418 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 4%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of March 20, the health system was reporting 17 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 328 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 8.1%.
Boise School District: Reported confirmed cases since March 16: Borah High (2), North Jr. High (2), Owyhee Elementary (1), Valley View Elementary (1), Whittier Elementary (1).
West Ada School District: Reported confirmed cases for March 7-20: Centennial High (2), Eagle High (5), Meridian High (2), Rocky Mountain High (2), Eagle Middle (3), Lake Hazel Middle (2), Meridian Middle (2), Star Middle (2), Victory Middle (1), Barbara Morgan STEM Academy (2), Eagle Hills Elementary (1), Hillsdale Elementary (2), Pepper Ridge Elementary (1), Ponderosa Elementary (2), Siena Elementary (5).
Total COVID-19 cases by county (confirmed + probable): Ada 48,347, Adams 332, Bannock 8,226, Bear Lake 363, Benewah 641, Bingham 4,529, Blaine 2,220, Boise 318, Bonner 3,064, Bonneville 13,555, Boundary 836, Butte 201, Camas 71, Canyon 25,263, Caribou 631, Cassia 2,886, Clark 56, Clearwater 1,016, Custer 238, Elmore 1,661, Franklin 1,107, Fremont 1,061, Gem 1,712, Gooding 1,275, Idaho 1,168, Jefferson 2,686, Jerome 2,529, Kootenai 17,018, Latah 2,882, Lemhi 514, Lewis 383, Lincoln 489, Madison 6,699, Minidoka 2,304, Nez Perce 3,447, Oneida 337, Owyhee 1,031, Payette 2,419, Power 640, Shoshone 1,033, Teton 1,128, Twin Falls 9,094, Valley 819, Washington 1,191.
