This article was originally published by Rachel Roberts in the Idaho Statesman.
Idaho’s 14-day moving average for new cases of the coronavirus dropped for the fifth day in a row, but the state has yet to see a slow in the number of new deaths this month.
The state’s seven health districts reported a combined 315 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and nine new deaths Wednesday. Idaho’s 14-day moving average of confirmed and probable cases was at 455.4 cases per day on Aug. 14 and now sits at 423.3.
Deaths tend to trail the peak in cases, which has made August a difficult month. With the nine new deaths added Wednesday, there have been 99 coronavirus-related deaths in August — an average of 5.2 per day — and 292 overall since the start of the pandemic. For comparison, there were 100 deaths in July and just 11 in June.
The latest deaths were in Ada (4 new, 102 total), Bingham (2 new, 4 total), Shoshone (2 new, 7 total) and Fremont (first death) counties. Eastern Idaho Public Health says the deceased individual in Fremont County was a male in his 60s.
The fatalities in Bingham County were a male in his 80s with no underlying health conditions and a female in her 60s with underlying health conditions, according to Southeastern Idaho Public Health. No information was provided on the other deaths.
Idaho has a case fatality rate of about 1.02%.
Seven counties saw their total number of confirmed cases increase by double figures on Wednesday: Canyon (86 new, 6,274 total), Ada (74 new, 9,574 total), Bonneville (32 new, 1,147 total), Payette (27 new, 455 total), Kootenai (18 new, 2,000 total), Bannock (16 new, 534 total) and Bingham (10 new, 373 total).
The other counties with additional cases were Adams (1 new, 22 total), Benewah (3 new, 81 total), Boise (1 new, 42 total), Butte (1 new, 4 total), Caribou (1 new, 33 total), Cassia (1 new, 513 total), Clark (1 new, 13 total), Elmore (2 new, 217 total), Franklin (1 new, 48 total), Gem (3 new, 178 total), Gooding (1 new, 167 total), Idaho (2 new, 37 total), Jefferson (2 new, 237 total), Jerome (4 new, 482 total), Latah (2 new, 148 total), Madison (2 new, 162 total), Minidoka (3 new, 483 total), Nez Perce (7 new, 182 total), Owyhee (1 new, 257 total), Power (1 new, 81 total), Shoshone (2 new, 171 total), Teton (5 new, 92 total), Twin Falls (3 new, 1,391 total), Valley (1 new, 74 total) and Washington (1 new, 231 total).
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported there were 1,942 “probable cases” of the coronavirus (47 new). The state also said 11,733 people were presumed to have recovered from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
The most recent hospitalization info from Health and Welfare for Aug. 17 shows 205 currently hospitalized with COVID-19, including 43 in intensive care.
Gov. Brad Little will provide an update on his Idaho Rebounds plan during a press conference at noon Friday. The event will be on Idaho Public Television and streamed online.
