Idaho’s COVID-19 positivity rate, average caseload fall as vaccination rates stagnate
Idaho’s seven-day moving average of new COVID-19 cases fell by nearly 30% over the week of June 7, and the state’s test positivity rate fell by half a percentage point for the week ending June 6, marking a decline in virus prevalence in Idaho.
On June 7, the state’s seven-day average was 145.4, but it fell to 102.9 by Friday, the lowest it’s been in a year, according to data from the Department of Health and Welfare. The percentage of tests taken that came back positive during the week of May 30-June 6 dropped to 3.9%, more than a percentage point below the 5% benchmark.
The state recorded 15 deaths this week, for a total of 2,116 since the pandemic began. On Friday, the seven-day average for deaths stood at 2.7. Four of the week’s deaths were associated with long-term care facilities, according to Health and Welfare.
The state also recorded 47 new health care workers infected with COVID-19 this week, for a total of 10,826 since March 2020. Five more patients entered an ICU for a total of 1,465, and a total of 8,685 people have been hospitalized. The state estimates there have been 112,965 recoveries.
Since the pandemic began, the state has recorded 193,515 total cases.
Though Idaho’s vaccination rates are still tumbling, a total of 1,272,507 doses have been administered. Since June 1, the state has administered 42,210 first or second doses. After peaking at nearly 96,000 doses administered the week of April 4, vaccination rates had fallen by 76% the week of May 30, when only 23,000 doses were injected.
More than 623,000 people are fully vaccinated, according to updated data, but that’s still only 33% or so of Idaho’s population. Health care providers across the state continue to offer appointments, with many clinics and pharmacies offering walk-in appointments. On Friday, Albertsons announced that 10 of its pharmacies in Southern Idaho will stay open an extra two hours on Friday nights in June to administer vaccines. Customers who are vaccinated during the extended hours will receive a coupon for 20% off their groceries, according to a release.
Long-term care update
As of Friday, there were four new COVID-19-related deaths at long-term care facilities. There have been 801 COVID-19-related deaths at 179 facilities — nearly 40% of deaths statewide — during the pandemic and 9,609 total cases.
Below is a list of long-term care facilities by city that have active cases of the coronavirus among residents and/or staff. For an outbreak to be considered “resolved,” more than 28 days must pass (two incubation periods) without any additional cases associated with the facility.
American Falls: Edgewood Spring Creek American Falls; Boise: Life Care of Treasure Valley; Chubbuck: Brookdale Chubbuck, Grace at Chubbuck; Emmett: River’s Edge Rehab; Garden City: Garnet Place; Hayden: Wellspring Meadows; Idaho Falls: Lincoln Court Retirement Community; Lewiston: Guardian Angel Homes Lewiston (now Generations at Lewiston);
Meridian: Aspire-Vineyard, Touchmark at Meadow Lake Village; Nampa: Heron Place; Orofino: Clearwater Health & Rehab of Cascadia; Pocatello: Gateway Transitional Care Center, Brookdale Pocatello, Elegant Residential Living; Rexburg: Madison Carriage Cove; Shelley: Diamond Peak of Shelley; Twin Falls: Bridgeview Estates-Assisted Living, Bridgeview Estates-Skilled Nursing.
Weekly snapshot
Vaccine doses administered in Idaho: 1,272,507, according to Health and Welfare. Of those, 623,099 people have been fully vaccinated, which accounts for 46% of Idahoans age 12 and older.
Test positivity rate: Out of the 14,705 COVID-19 tests conducted for the week of May 30 - June 5, just 3.9% came back positive.
Counties with highest current seven-day incidence rate per 100,000 population: Lewis 37.2, Idaho 13.7, Kootenai 12.4, Shoshone 11.1, Elmore 10.9.
Visit our “what we know” file for a daily look at new cases by county and other key numbers.
