This article was originally published by Nicole Blanchard in the Idaho Statesman.
Idaho’s seven-day moving average for new COVID-19 cases fell below 200 per day on Monday, a first for the state since June of 2020.
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported 368 new cases of COVID-19 between Saturday and Monday. That brought the seven-day moving average down to 185.6 per day over the past week. The seven-day moving average has been trending downward since reaching a peak of around 1,600 in mid-December, but it had not fallen below 200 per day since June 27.
The milestone moving average comes as nearly half a million Idahoans have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Health and Welfare reports that number at 499,860 — only about 35.7% of the eligible population in the state.
Officials reported six new deaths on Monday: three in Canyon County (295 total), two in Jefferson County (28 total) and one in Madison County (28 total). Eastern Idaho Public Health said the Jefferson County deaths were a woman in her 70s and a man in his 50s. The Madison County death was a man in his 20s.
To date, 2,052 Idahoans have died of COVID-19-related causes.
Health officials have reported 188,024 confirmed and probable cases of the disease since last March. More than 107,000 people are presumed recovered.
The following Idaho counties reported new cases on Monday: Ada (123 new, 51,733 total), Adams (3 new, 339 total), Bannock (7 new, 8,720 total), Bear Lake (2 new, 383 total), Benewah (1 new, 671 total), Bingham (3 new, 4,807 total), Blaine (1 new, 2,364 total), Bonner (3 new, 3,224 total), Bonneville (20 new, 14,827 total), Boundary (2 new, 863 total), Canyon (60 new, 26,501 total), Clearwater (2 new, 1,047 total), Elmore (5 new, 1,983 total), Franklin (1 new, 1,180 total), Fremont (2 new, 1,127 total), Gem (3 new, 1,755 total), Gooding (2 new, 1,301 total), Idaho (6 new, 1,199 total), Jefferson (2 new, 2,979 total), Jerome (3 new, 2,590 total), Kootenai (57 new, 17,833 total), Latah (7 new, 3,107 total), Madison (11 new, 7,160 total), Nez Perce (6 new, 3,591 total), Oneida (2 new, 358 total), Owyhee (2 new, 1,060 total), Payette (5 new, 2,541 total), Shoshone (4 new, 1,095 total), Teton (3 new, 1,212 total), Twin Falls (21 new, 9,461 total) and Valley (2 new, 837 total).
Officials removed three cases in Washington County (1,211 total).
DAILY DETAILS
Vaccine doses administered in Idaho: 1,074,470, according to Health and Welfare. Of those, 499,860 people have been fully vaccinated.
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 8,142 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 1,383 admissions to the ICU and 10,488 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 May 2, the health system was reporting 24 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 376 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 4%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of May 2, the health system was reporting 24 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 338 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 8.9%.
Boise School District: Reported confirmed cases since April 27: Garfield Elementary (1), Liberty Elementary (1), Maple Grove Elementary (2), Shadow Hills Elementary (1), Trailwind Elementary (1), West Jr. High (1).
West Ada School District: Reported confirmed cases for April 19-May 2: Centennial High (5), Eagle High (3), Meridian High (3), Heritage Middle (3), Lake Hazel Middle (1), Lowell Scott Middle (1), Meridian Middle (1), Chaparral Elementary (1), Eliza Hart Spalding STEM Academy (1), Galileo STEM Academy (1), Hillsdale Elementary (1), Pepper Ridge Elementary (1), Prospect Elementary (1).
Total COVID-19 cases by county (confirmed + probable): Ada 51,733, Adams 339, Bannock 8,720, Bear Lake 383, Benewah 671, Bingham 4,807, Blaine 2,364, Boise 354, Bonner 3,224, Bonneville 14,827, Boundary 863, Butte 209, Camas 71, Canyon 26,501, Caribou 689, Cassia 2,935, Clark 59, Clearwater 1,047, Custer 246, Elmore 1,983, Franklin 1,180, Fremont 1,127, Gem 1,755, Gooding 1,301, Idaho 1,199, Jefferson 2,979, Jerome 2,590, Kootenai 17,833, Latah 3,107, Lemhi 523, Lewis 391, Lincoln 501, Madison 7,160, Minidoka 2,334, Nez Perce 3,591, Oneida 358, Owyhee 1,060, Payette 2,541, Power 653, Shoshone 1,095, Teton 1,212, Twin Falls 9,461, Valley 837, Washington 1,211.
