This article was originally published by Ruth Brown in the Idaho Statesman.
Ada County added 675 new cases of coronavirus last week, and if it adds 683 this week, the county would revert to the “red” zone.
Monday saw a modest increase, with 70 new confirmed cases of the virus, bringing the county total to 12,396, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. It was part of another worrisome day regarding COVID-19, as the state added 493 cases, pushing its total to 40,338.
Idaho’s seven-day moving average of cases keeps creeping toward 500, its highest point since July 31 (500.4). The average exceeds 490 now.
Being in the red zonemeans there would be recommendations for minimal use of in-person instruction and school buildings because of a high risk of virus transmission, according to Central District Health.
Ada County also reported a new coronavirus death Monday, bringing the county’s toll to 152 people.
Cassia and Kootenai County also reported one new death each due to COVID- 19. Another COVID-19-related death was counted in Bannock County, a woman in her 70s, and one in Franklin County, a man in his 80s, according to Southeastearn Idaho Public Health. The Franklin County case was the first COVID-19 death in that county.
With the five new deaths reported Monday, the state’s total is 487.
Madison County saw a significant increase for a county its size on Monday, reporting 56 newly confirmed coronavirus cases, bringing the county total to 935 cases, according to Eastern Idaho Public Health. Madison County is home to Brigham Young University-Idaho in Rexburg.
Latah County, home to the University of Idaho, gained 44 new cases on Monday, bringing the county total to 600 confirmed cases, according to Idaho North Central District. Of Latah County’s 620 confirmed and probable cases, about 73% are people between the ages of 18 and 29, according to the health district.
Another 48 cases of the virus were confirmed in Canyon County, bringing that county’s total to 7,911 confirmed cases.
Health and Welfare also reported that another 4,291 people are “probable” cases of coronavirus and 23,115 people are “presumed recovered.”
The following counties also added new cases of coronavirus: Nez Perce 12 (446 total), Idaho 7 (215 total), Clearwater 9 (67 total), Lewis 2 (38 total), Bannock 36 (1,160 total), Bear Lake -1 (50 total), Bingham 11 (982 total), Butte 1 (44 total) Caribou 2 (115 total), Franklin 16 (171 total), Power 4 (260 total), Adams 1 (28 total), Owyhee 3 (307 total), Payette 9 (826 total), Washington 2 (357 total), Elmore 3 (298 total), Kootenai 28 (2,806 total), Benewah 3 (152 total), Bonner 6 (338 total), Twin Falls 29 (2,260 total), Minidoka 16 (710 total), Jerome 4 (715 total), Gooding 4 (277 total), Cassia 18 (743 total), Blaine 4 (669 total), Bonneville 29 (2,459 total), Custer -5 (59 total), Fremont 5 (243 total), Jefferson 7 (544 total), Lemhi 3 (91 total), Teton 7 (186 total)
DAILY DETAILS
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 1,911 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 466 admissions to the ICU and 2,945 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. 4, the health system was reporting 34 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 384 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 9%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of Oct. 4, the health system was reporting 23 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 319 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 8.2%.
Boise School District: The district says the following schools or units have reported confirmed COVID-19 cases among students or staff since Sept. 22: Borah High School (2 cases), Boise Online school (1), Dennis Technical Education Center (1), Hawthorne Elementary (1), Hillside Junior High (2), Shadow Hills Elementary (1), Cynthia Mann Elementary (1).
Testing totals: At the end of the day Sunday, Health and Welfare reported that 319,945 people had been tested statewide. About 12.6% 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 12,396, Adams 28, Bannock 1,160, Bear Lake 50, Benewah 152, Bingham 982, Blaine 669, Boise 58, Bonner 338, Bonneville 2,459, Boundary 49, Butte 44, Camas 30, Canyon 7,911, Caribou 115, Cassia 743, Clark 32, Clearwater 67, Custer 59, Elmore 298, Franklin 171, Fremont 243, Gem 304, Gooding 277, Idaho 215, Jefferson 544, Jerome 715, Kootenai 2,806, Latah 600, Lemhi 91, Lewis 3, Lincoln 76, Madison 935, Minidoka 710, Nez Perce 446, Oneida 26, Owyhee 307, Payette 826, Power 260, Shoshone 215, Teton 186, Twin Falls 2,260, Valley 90, Washington 357.
