This article was originally published by Rachel Roberts in the Idaho Statesman.
Three of the four counties under Central District Health’s jurisdiction are currently competing for Idaho’s highest seven-day moving average incidence rate for COVID-19 cases reported per 100,000 residents.
Elmore County, which includes the city of Mountain Home, owns the highest rate statewide, at 21.8, while Boise County ranks second (16.4) and Ada County third (14.8). Elmore County had a test positivity rate of 9.6% for the week of April 11-17, which was well above the statewide positivity rate of 4.7% for the same week.
Ada County made up more than 40% of the state’s new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, accounting for 118 of the 289 added by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Elmore County’s total grew by just six cases (1,966 total) and Boise County added five (352 total).
Canyon County had the second-most cases Tuesday, with 47, and its daily incidence rate ranks 10th overall, at 12.2, out of Idaho’s 44 counties.
There were six new coronavirus-related deaths reported Tuesday, bringing the state’s total to 2,040 since the start of the pandemic. The latest deaths were in Ada (1 new, 460 total), Bingham (1 new, 74 total), Bonneville (1 new, 169 total), Jefferson (1 new, 26 total) and Madison (2 new, 27 total) counties.
Eastern Idaho Public Health said the Madison County deaths were two men, one in his 90s and one in his 60s. The Bonneville County death was a man in his 80s, and the Jefferson County death was a man in his 60s. The Bingham County death was a male in his 40s, according to Southeastern Idaho Public Health.
Idaho’s case fatality rate stands at about 1.09%.
Idaho’s seven-day moving average has stayed below 300 cases per day since April 7 and has been less than 225 for the past nine days.
The other counties adding new cases were Adams (1 new, 336 total), Bannock (14 new, 8,695 total), Bear Lake (2 new, 379 total), Benewah (1 new, 668 total), Bingham (5 new, 4,797 total), Blaine (2 new, 2,357 total), Bonner (4 new, 3,216 total), Bonneville (12 new, 14,763 total), Caribou (5 new, 688 total), Idaho (1 new, 1,190 total), Jefferson (2 new, 2,974 total), Kootenai (28 new, 17,693 total), Latah (4 new, 3,084 total), Lemhi (1 new, 523 total), Madison (6 new, 7,131 total), Minidoka (1 new, 2,332 total), Nez Perce (3 new, 3,572 total), Oneida (1 new, 355 total), Owyhee (2 new, 1,058 total), Payette (4 new, 2,518 total), Teton (1 new, 1,206 total) and Twin Falls (14 new, 9,396 total).
Health and Welfare removed one case from Gooding County (1,297 total).
Since last March, Health and Welfare has reported 187,014 confirmed and probable cases and 106,527 recoveries.
DAILY DETAILS
Vaccine doses administered in Idaho: 1,028,366, according to Health and Welfare. Of those, 465,462 people have been fully vaccinated.
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 8,068 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 1,371 admissions to the ICU and 10,424 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 April 26, the health system was reporting 21 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 467 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 4%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of April 26, the health system was reporting 34 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 353 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 9.2%.
Boise School District: Reported confirmed cases for April 13-26: Boise High (2), Borah High (3), Capital High (3), District Services Center (1), Dennis Technical Education Center (1), Fairmont Jr. High (1), Garfield Elementary (1), Highlands Elementary (1), Hillside Jr. High (1), Horizon Elementary (1), Longfellow Elementary (1), North Jr. High (4), Pierce Park Elementary (1), Riverglen Jr. High (1), Roosevelt Elementary (1), Timberline High (1), West Jr. High (7), Whittier Elementary (1).
West Ada School District: Reported confirmed cases for April 13-April 26: Centennial High (5), Eagle High (3), Meridian High (2), Mountain View High (1), Rocky Mountain High (1), Eagle Middle (4), Heritage Middle (4), Lowell Scott Middle (1), Meridian Middle (1), Desert Sage Elementary (2), Galileo STEM Academy (1), Hillsdale Elementary (1), Mary McPherson Elementary (1), Paramount Elementary (1), Pepper Ridge Elementary (1), Prospect Elementary (2).
Total COVID-19 cases by county (confirmed + probable): Ada 51,395, Adams 336, Bannock 8,695, Bear Lake 379, Benewah 668, Bingham 4,797, Blaine 2,357, Boise 352, Bonner 3,216, Bonneville 14,763, Boundary 860, Butte 208, Camas 71, Canyon 26,345, Caribou 688, Cassia 2,931, Clark 59, Clearwater 1,045, Custer 246, Elmore 1,966, Franklin 1,177, Fremont 1,125, Gem 1,750, Gooding 1,297, Idaho 1,190, Jefferson 2,974, Jerome 2,586, Kootenai 17,693, Latah 3,084, Lemhi 523, Lewis 389, Lincoln 500, Madison 7,131, Minidoka 2,332, Nez Perce 3,572, Oneida 355, Owyhee 1,058, Payette 2,518, Power 653, Shoshone 1,082, Teton 1,206, Twin Falls 9,396, Valley 833, Washington 1,213.
