Idaho sees big day-to-day drop in COVID-19 cases, also shows positivity rate decline

Ian Max Stevenson
·4 min read

A spike in coronavirus cases on Wednesday proved to be a blip for Idaho.

The Department of Health and Welfare reported only 210 new cases Thursday, just about half the total of the day before, but the state did add nine COVID-19-related deaths. This week saw Idaho reach 2,000 deaths during the pandemic, and the total number now stands at 2,015.

There was good news on the state’s positivity rate, with the latest data showing that it dropped to 4.8% for the week of April 4-10. The rate indicates the percentage of COVID-19 tests that come back positive, and health experts target a rate of less than 5% to show good control over coronavirus spread. For the week of March 28-April 3, Idaho’s rate had risen to 5.6%, the highest percentage since early February.

The state has now recorded 184,557 coronavirus cases in the year since the pandemic reached Idaho. Ada County again added the most Thursday (77 new, 50,513 total), accounting for roughly a third of the state’s count.

The counties adding deaths Thursday were Bingham (1 new, 72 total), Bonner (1 new, 39 total), Bonneville (1 new, 168 total), Canyon (1 new, 291 total), Jefferson (2 new, 24 total), Kootenai (2 new, 201 total) and Madison (1 new, 24 total). According to Eastern Idaho Public Health, the death in Bonneville County was a male in his 60s; Madison County, male in his 60s; and Jefferson County, male in his 90s and female in her 80s.

The counties adding new cases Thursday, in addition to Ada, were: Bannock (10 new, 8,571 total), Bear Lake (1 new, 376 total), Benewah (1 new, 660 total), Bingham (3 new, 4,769 total), Blaine (6 new, 2,330 total), Boise (1 new, 336 total), Bonner (8 new, 3,178 total), Bonneville (19 new, 14,581 total), Boundary (1 new, 855 total), Canyon (20 new, 26,035 total), Caribou (3 new, 681 total), Cassia (1 new, 2,923 total), Elmore (3 new, 1,836 total), Franklin (2 new, 1,166 total), Fremont (3 new, 1,116 total), Jefferson (3 new, 2,934 total), Kootenai (15 new, 17,445 total), Latah (6 new, 3,015 total), Madison (3 new, 7,084 total), Nez Perce (1 new, 3,524 total), Payette (2 new, 2,493 total), Shoshone (3 new, 1,062 total), Twin Falls (10 new, 9,303 total), Washington (5 new, 1,211 total).

DAILY DETAILS

Vaccine doses administered in Idaho: 913,106, according to Health and Welfare. Of those, 389,095 people have been fully vaccinated.

Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 7,937 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 1,362 admissions to the ICU and 10,279 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 14, the health system was reporting 36 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 458 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 5%.

Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of April 14, the health system was reporting 33 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 346 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 8.7%.

Boise School District: Reported confirmed cases since April 13: Boise High (1), Borah High (2), Capital High (2), Hillside Jr. High (1), Longfellow Elementary (1).

West Ada School District: Reported confirmed cases for April 1-April 14: Centennial High (1), Eagle High (9), Mountain View High (4), Rocky Mountain High (1), Star Middle (1), Victory Middle (1), Cecil D. Andrus Elementary (1), Chaparral Elementary (5), Siena Elementary (1), Star Elementary (1), Ustick Elementary (1).

Total COVID-19 cases by county (confirmed + probable): Ada 50,513, Adams 333, Bannock 8,571, Bear Lake 376, Benewah 660, Bingham 4,769, Blaine 2,330, Boise 336, Bonner 3,178, Bonneville 14,581, Boundary 855, Butte 206, Camas 71, Canyon 26,035, Caribou 681, Cassia 2,923, Clark 59, Clearwater 1,033, Custer 243, Elmore 1,886, Franklin 1,166, Fremont 1,116, Gem 1,742, Gooding 1,295, Idaho 1,180, Jefferson 2,934, Jerome 2,556, Kootenai 17,445, Latah 3,015, Lemhi 519, Lewis 386, Lincoln 498, Madison 7,084, Minidoka 2,319, Nez Perce 3,524, Oneida 353, Owyhee 1,050, Payette 2,493, Power 651, Shoshone 1,062, Teton 1,188, Twin Falls 9,303, Valley 828, Washington 1,211.