This article was originally published by Audrey Dutton in the Idaho Statesman.
There were 57 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus reported statewide on Monday, according to an Idaho Statesman analysis of data from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and local health districts.
That is the lowest number reported since June 13. It was unclear whether that number was lower due partly to the Labor Day holiday, or if it marks a turnaround in the pandemic. The public health agencies reported 373 cases on the last major holiday, Fourth of July.
New cases were added in: Ada (6 new, 10,827 total), Blaine (1 new, 589 total), Bonneville (5 new, 1,630 total), Canyon (17 new, 7,080 total), Fremont (1 new, 111 total), Gooding (1 new, 208 total), Jefferson (1 new, 321 total), Jerome (7 new, 570 total), Madison (2 new, 232 total), Payette (4 new, 647 total), Twin Falls (15 new, 1,616 total).
A total of three cases were removed from the Statesman’s totals for Clark (18 total cases) and Custer (35 total) counties to reflect differences between the state and health district numbers.
One new death was reported Monday in Ada County, according to Health and Welfare. That brings the totals to 130 COVID-19-related deaths in Ada and 387 statewide.
Since the start of the pandemic, 31,546 Idaho residents have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Officials report that 16,760 people have recovered from the disease. Health and Welfare also reported 10 new “probable” cases on Monday, bringing the state total of probable cases to 2,496.
DAILY DETAILS
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 1,468 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 394 admissions to the ICU and 2,211 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 Sept. 6, the health system was reporting 28 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19, out of 406 patients overall. At the Nampa hospital, nine out of 53 patients had the coronavirus, or 17%. The Meridian hospital had 10 patients (12% of all hospitalized) with COVID-19, and the Boise hospital had three patients (2% of all hospitalized) with COVID-19. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 7%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of Sept. 5, the health system was reporting 34 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19, out of 329 patients overall. About 12% of its patients in Canyon County had COVID-19, and about 7% of its patients in Ada County had COVID-19. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 15%.
Boise School District: The district says the following schools have reported confirmed COVID-19 cases among students or staff since Aug. 17: Adams Elementary (2 cases), Boise Online School (1), Borah High (2), Hillcrest Elementary (1), Maple Grove Elementary (1), Roosevelt Elementary (1) and West Junior High (1).
Testing totals: At the end of the day Monday, Health and Welfare reported that 266,742 tests had been completed statewide. About 11.8% of those have been positive for COVID-19.
Counties with confirmed COVID-19 cases: Ada 10,827, Adams 24, Bannock 760, Bear Lake 40, Benewah 121, Bingham 613, Blaine 589, Boise 50, Bonner 221, Bonneville 1,630, Boundary 45, Butte 27, Camas 3, Canyon 7,080, Caribou 45, Cassia 536, Clark 18, Clearwater 21, Custer 35, Elmore 244, Franklin 58, Fremont 111, Gem 216, Gooding 208, Idaho 44, Jefferson 321, Jerome 570, Kootenai 2,251, Latah 247, Lemhi 53, Lewis 9, Lincoln 61, Madison 232, Minidoka 533, Nez Perce 299, Oneida 19, Owyhee 284, Payette 647, Power 155, Shoshone 202, Teton 118, Twin Falls 1,616, Valley 79, Washington 284.
Counties with community spread: All counties but Adams, Butte, Camas and Franklin have been announced to have community spread.
