This article was originally published by Rachel Roberts in the Idaho Statesman.
Eastern Idaho continued its recent trend of producing the highest number of new COVID-19 cases statewide on Wednesday.
Led by Bonneville County’s 89 new cases Wednesday, data from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare show roughly 33% of the state’s 425 cases came from six counties under the jurisdiction of Eastern Idaho Public Health.
Bonneville County — which is home to the city of Idaho Falls — and Madison (26 new, 6,759 total), Jefferson (14 new, 2,725 total), Fremont (6 new, 1,074 total), Teton (4 new, 1,137 total) and Lemhi (1 new, 516 total) counties combined for 140 new cases.
In the Southeastern Idaho Public Health district, Bingham and Bannock counties combined for 79 new cases.
While Eastern Idaho remains a hot spot, the state’s seven-day moving average dipped below 300 cases per day for the first time since March 11, at 297.6.
One new coronavirus-related death was added in Canyon County (287 total). According to updated demographics from Health and Welfare, the Canyon County death was a man 80 or older. To date, Idaho has lost 1,952 residents to the virus, with a case fatality rate of about 1.09%.
Ada County (87 new, 48,606 total) saw the second-largest increase statewide Wednesday, and Canyon (29 new, 25,359 total) and Kootenai (19 new, 17,098 total) counties also experienced double-figure increases.
The other counties reporting new cases were: Bannock (33 new, 8,289 total), Benewah (1 new, 645 total), Bingham (46 new, 4,600 total), Blaine (5 new, 2,234 total), Bonner (2 new, 3,080 total), Boundary (1 new, 840 total), Butte (1 new, 202 total), Caribou (5 new, 638 total), Cassia (1 new, 2,889 total), Clearwater (1 new, 1,021 total), Elmore (9 new, 1,727 total), Franklin (1 new, 1,111 total), Gem (6 new, 1,723 total), Gooding (4 new, 1,279 total), Idaho (2 new, 1,171 total), Jerome (1 new, 2,531 total), Latah (1 new, 2,895 total), Lincoln (2 new, 491 total), Minidoka (1 new, 2,306 total), Nez Perce (4 new, 3,465 total), Oneida (1 new, 338 total), Payette (9 new, 2,436 total), Power (1 new, 644 total), Shoshone (3 new, 1,043 total), Twin Falls (8 new, 9,109 total) and Washington (2 new, 1,195 total).
Health and Welfare removed one case from Valley County (819 total).
Idaho has reported 178,544 cases since the start of the pandemic. Health and Welfare estimates that 99,626 of those cases have recovered from the virus.
DAILY DETAILS
Vaccine doses administered in Idaho: 631,803, according to Health and Welfare. Of those, 247,135 people have been fully vaccinated.
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 7,479 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 1,281 admissions to the ICU and 9,911 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 March 23, the health system was reporting 29 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 501 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 4%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of March 23, the health system was reporting 18 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 363 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 8.5%.
Boise School District: Reported confirmed cases since March 16: Borah High (2), North Jr. High (2), Owyhee Elementary (1), Valley View Elementary (1), Whittier Elementary (1).
West Ada School District: Reported confirmed cases for March 10-23: Eagle High (5), Meridian High (2), Rocky Mountain High (1), Eagle Middle (3), Lake Hazel Middle (1), Meridian Middle (1), Star Middle (1), Victory Middle (1), Barbara Morgan STEM Academy (1), Eagle Hills Elementary (1), Hillsdale Elementary (2), Ponderosa Elementary (2), Siena Elementary (4).
Total COVID-19 cases by county (confirmed + probable): Ada 48,606, Adams 333, Bannock 8,289, Bear Lake 365, Benewah 645, Bingham 4,600, Blaine 2,234, Boise 318, Bonner 3,080, Bonneville 13,753, Boundary 840, Butte 202, Camas 71, Canyon 25,359, Caribou 638, Cassia 2,889, Clark 56, Clearwater 1,021, Custer 239, Elmore 1,727, Franklin 1,111, Fremont 1,074, Gem 1,723, Gooding 1,279, Idaho 1,171, Jefferson 2,725, Jerome 2,531, Kootenai 17,098, Latah 2,895, Lemhi 516, Lewis 383, Lincoln 491, Madison 6,759, Minidoka 2,306, Nez Perce 3,465, Oneida 338, Owyhee 1,031, Payette 2,436, Power 644, Shoshone 1,043, Teton 1,137, Twin Falls 9,109, Valley 819, Washington 1,195.
