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Idaho, Ada County report record new COVID-19 cases; hospitalizations hit new high, too

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Posted at 8:42 PM, Nov 20, 2020
and last updated 2020-11-20 22:42:22-05

This article was originally published by Nicole Foy and Rachel Roberts in the Idaho Statesman.

At the end of a devastating week of sky-high numbers of new coronavirus cases and deaths, Idaho and Ada County broke records for the most confirmed coronavirus cases reported in one day Friday.

These records come despite health district warnings that the surge in cases is delaying case counts and contact tracing across the state.

Idaho’s seven health districts added 1,334 new confirmed coronavirus cases Friday, yet another record. An additional 300 probable coronavirus cases brought the total number of new cases to 1,634, the second-highest total number of cases reported in a day.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported 437 new cases in Ada County (20,041 total) — by far the most so far. The previous record was 391. Nearly 20% of Ada County residents who have had confirmed COVID-19 cases during the pandemic have gotten their positive results in the past 14 days.

The positivity rate in Central District Health, which covers Ada, Elmore, Boise and Valley counties, has jumped dramatically in the last month, increasing from 6.3% to 15.8%.

Southwest District Health — covering Canyon, Adams, Payette, Gem, Washington and Owyhee counties — has reported an even higher increase, with the positivity rate jumping from 9.2% to 20.1% over the same time period. The district added 124 new cases in Canyon County (12,227 total) on Friday.

Idaho also broke the records for seven-day average for new cases, hitting a 1,406.3 average per day, and COVID-19 hospitalizations (404 on Tuesday).

The state’s health officials also reported 11 more Idahoans who have died due to COVID-19, including two in Ada, two in Cassia, two in Kootenai and one each in Canyon, Caribou, Bannock, Gooding and Jerome counties.

The other counties reporting new cases Friday were: Bannock (64 new, 2,451 total), Bear Lake (3 new, 137 total), Benewah (1 new, 229 total), Bingham (24 new, 1,683 total), Blaine (15 new, 1,110 total), Boise (3 new, 95 total), Bonner (25 new, 745 total), Bonneville (93 new, 5,204 total), Boundary (8 new, 148 total), Butte (1 new, 102 total), Caribou (1 new, 259 total), Cassia (22 new, 1,819 total), Clark (1 new, 40 total), Clearwater (22 new, 326 total), Custer (1 new, 119 total), Elmore (12 new, 582 total), Franklin (3 new, 447 total), Fremont (4 new, 594 total), Gem (6 new, 593 total), Gooding (5 new, 652 total), Idaho (10 new, 599 total), Jefferson (15 new, 1,101 total), Jerome (14 new, 1,471 total), Kootenai (141 new, 5,948 total), Latah (38 new, 1,493 total), Lemhi (2 new, 364 total), Lewis (5 new, 154 total), Lincoln (3 new, 271 total), Madison (61 new, 3,311 total), Minidoka (24 new, 1,475 total), Nez Perce (26 new, 1,827 total), Oneida (1 new, 96 total), Owyhee (14 new, 506 total), Payette (16 new, 1,236 total), Power (4 new, 358 total), Shoshone (14 new, 443 total), Teton (4 new, 384 total), Twin Falls (52 new, 5,275 total), Valley (2 new, 172 total), Washington (13 new, 554 total).

BOISE STATE POSTS NEW WEEKLY HIGH FOR COVID-19 CASES

Boise State University also set a new high for coronavirus cases reported in a single week, according to the school’s dashboard. At least 121 people tested positive for the coronavirus in the past week, including 14 residential students, 19 faculty and staff and 88 off-campus students. Boise State’s COVID-19 tracking dashboard is updated every Friday.

Overall, 866 people affiliated with Boise State have tested positive for the coronavirus since Aug. 15, including 50 faculty and staff, 238 residential students and 578 off-campus students.

A Wednesday news release said Boise State has not identified any confirmed coronavirus cases contracted in a classroom. Boise State’s lab opened Oct. 13 and primarily is processing COVID-19 tests of asymptomatic individuals, according to the release. The lab is run by Boise State post-doctoral student Stephanie Hudon and is staffed by students. The lab has processed 6,000 tests so far, according to the release.

LONG-TERM CARE UPDATE

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare released its weekly update on COVID-19 in care facilities Friday.

Outbreaks at Idaho facilities increased by 14 to 262 overall, total individual cases jumped by 546 (5,138 total) and deaths rose by 30 to 376, with nine facilities recording their first death.

Active cases increased to 4,145 at 181 facilities. There are 81 facilities with resolved outbreaks.

Below is a list of long-term care facilities by city that have active cases of the coronavirus:

American Falls: Edgewood Spring Creek American Falls; Ammon: Promontory Point Rehabilitation, Crystal Creek Assisted Living; Ashton: Ashton Memorial Living Center; Bellevue: Cove of Cascadia; Blackfoot: Syringa Chalet Nursing Facility, Gables Assisted Living of Blackfoot; Boise: Terraces of Boise, Edgewood Spring Creek-Overland, Cascadia of Boise, Garden Plaza of Valley View-Valley View Nursing & Rehab, Garden Plaza of Valley View-The Bridge at Valley View, Overland Court Senior Living, Willow Park Senior Living, Arbor Village at Hillcrest, Arbor Valley of Cascadia, Edgewood Castle Hills, Shaw Mountain of Cascadia, State Veterans Home-Boise, Independent Living Services Freedom, MorningStar Senior Living of Boise, Edgewood Spring Creek Memory Care-Five Mile, Edgewood Plantation Place, Overland Court Generations Memory Care, Ashley Manor-Cloverdale, Regency Columbia Village, Communicare No. 3 Pond, Brookdale Boise Parkcenter, Grace Assisted Living at Englefield Green, Ashley Manor-Cory Lane (formerly AarenBrooke Place), Cottages of Boise, Life Care of Treasure Valley, Grace Assisted Living at State St., Boise Group Home No. 1 Pennfield, Avamere Transitional Care, Riverview Rehabilitation;

Bonners Ferry: Boundary County Nursing Home, Community Restorium; Bonneville: New Beginnings Community Living; Buhl: Desert View Care, River Rock Assisted Living, Evergreen Place Assisted Living, Autumn Breeze; Burley: Mini Cassia Care Center, Parke View Rehab, Diamond Peak of Burley, Highland Estates, Rosetta of Burley; Caldwell: Autumn Wind, Canyon West of Cascadia, Lenity Senior Living, Caldwell Care of Cascadia, Grace Assisted Living Caldwell; Challis: Diamond Peak Health Care of Challis; Chubbuck: Brookdale Chubbuck, Grace Assisted Living Chubbuck; Coeur d’Alene: Lacrosse Health & Rehab, Advanced Health Care of Coeur d’Alene, Life Care Center of Coeur d’Alene, Ivy Court, Coeur d’Alene Health and Rehab of Cascadia, Pacifica Senior Living Coeur d’Alene, Courtyard at Coeur d’Alene, Rose Terrace Cottages, Legends Park Assisted Living, Renaissance at Coeur d’Alene, Garden at Orchard Ridge, Bristol Heights Assisted Living;

Darlington: Antelope Creek Living Center; Eagle: Edgewood Spring Creek Eagle Island, Foxtail Senior Living; Emmett: River’s Edge Rehab, Meadow View Assisted Living; Gooding: Bennett Hills Rehab & Care Center; Grangeville: Meadowlark Homes, Grangeville Health & Rehab Center; Hailey: Silvercreek Assisted Living; Hayden: Wellspring Meadows, Harmony House Assisted Living, Peterson Place Assisted Living; Homedale: Owyhee Health & Rehab; Idaho Falls: Life Care Center of Idaho Falls, Yellowstone Group Home No. 1, Teton Post-Acute Care and Rehab, Fairwinds-Sand Creek, Good Samaritan-Idaho Falls Village, Parkwood Meadows, Lily and Syringa Assisted Living, Lincoln Court Retirement Community, Broadway Fields Assisted Living, Turtle and Crane Assisted Living; Jerome: Ashley Manor-Lincoln, Creekside Care Center, Desano Place Assisted Living;

Kimberly: Oak Creek, Ashley Manor-Buttercup Trail, Alpine Manor; Kootenai: Hearthstone Village; Kuna: Swan Falls Assisted Living; Lewiston: The Orchards, Life Care Center of Lewiston, Advanced Health Care of Lewiston, Lewiston Transitional Care of Cascadia, Brookdale Lewiston, State Veterans Home-Lewiston, Guardian Angel Homes Lewiston, Pleasant Valley Shelter Home; McCall: McCall Rehab and Care Center; Meridian: Creekside Transitional Care, Touchmark at Meadow Lake Village, Edgewood Spring Creek Meridian, Golden Years Oak Crest, Veranda Senior Living-Paramount, Grace Assisted Living-Fairview Lakes, Trinity at 1st Street, Meridian Meadows, Alpine Meadows Assisted Living, Harmony Hills, Golden Years Kimra; Montpelier: Bear Lake Memorial Skilled Nursing, Bear Lake Manor; Moscow: Good Samaritan Society-Moscow Village, Aspen Park of Cascadia;

Nampa: Meadow View Nursing & Rehab, Streamside Assisted Living, Grace Assisted Living-Nampa, Karcher Estates, Sunny Ridge (Skilled Nursing), Cascadia of Nampa, Cottages of Nampa, Southwest Idaho Treatment Center, Orchards of Cascadia, Wellspring of Cascadia; Orofino: Clearwater Health & Rehab of Cascadia, Brookside Landing; Payette: Payette Healthcare; Pocatello: Brookdale Pocatello, Caring Hearts Assisted Living, State Veterans Home-Pocatello, Independence Home, Elegant Residential Living, Monte Vista Hills, Gateway Transitional Care Center, Gables of Pocatello 1, Copper Summit Assisted Living; Post Falls: Guardian Angel Homes, Seven Oaks Community Home-Elm, Seven Oaks Community Home-Larri Lee, Seven Oaks Community Home-Stephanie, Seven Oaks Community Home-Tybalt, The Lodge at Riverside Harbor; Preston: Franklin County Transitional Care, Heritage Senior Living;

Rexburg: Madison Carriage Cove, Temple View Transitional Care, Homestead Assisted Living Rexburg; Rigby: Rigby Country Living Center, The Wildflower of Rigby; Rupert: Countryside Care and Rehab, Autumn Haven Assisted Living, Vista Assisted Living (now Etosha Assisted Living); Salmon: Discovery Rehab and Living; Sandpoint: Life Care Center of Sandpoint, Luther Park at Sandpoint; Shoshone: Lincoln County Care Center; Soda Springs: Caribou Memorial Living Center; St. Anthony: Homestead Assisted Living-St. Anthony; Twin Falls: Brookdale Twin Falls, Serenity Transitional Care, Chardonnay Assisted Living, Twin Falls Care, Heritage Assisted Living, Ashley Manor-Parkview, The Canyons Retirement Community, Clear Creek Home, Campus View Home, Syringa Place, Grace Assisted Living-Twin Falls, Blake View Home; Weiser: Weiser Care of Cascadia; Wendell: Magic Valley Manor; Winchester: Lakeside Assisted Living.

DAILY DETAILS
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 3,492 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 673 admissions to the ICU and 4,749 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 Nov. 19, the health system was reporting 145 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 524 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 23%.

Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of Nov. 19, the health system was reporting 71 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 385 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 20.6%.

Boise School District: The district says the following schools or units have reported confirmed COVID-19 cases among students or staff since Nov. 17: Amity Elementary (1), Boise High (4), Borah High (5), Capital High (2), Collister Elementary (1), District Services (3), Fairmont Junior High (1), Frank Church High (1), Grace Jordan Elementary (2), Hidden Springs Elementary (1), Highlands Elementary (1), Hillcrest Elementary (3), Hillside Junior High (2), Les Bois Junior High (4), Liberty Elementary (2), Madison Early Childhood Education Center (1), Maple Grove Elementary (1), Morley Nelson Elementary (1), North Junior High (1), Roosevelt Elementary (1), South Junior High (3), Taft Elementary (2), Timberline High (5), Trail Wind Elementary (1), Valley View Elementary (1), Washington Elementary (1), Whittier Elementary (2).

West Ada School District: The district says the following schools or units have reported confirmed COVID-19 cases among students or staff for the weeks of Nov. 1 through Nov. 14: Centennial High (8), Central Academy (2), Eagle Academy (4) Eagle High (35) Idaho Fine Arts (1), Meridian Academy (2), Meridian High (16), Mountain View High (29), Renaissance High (9), Rocky Mountain High (25), Crossroads Middle (3), Eagle Middle (3), Heritage Middle (7), Lake Hazel Middle (3), Lewis and Clark Middle (4), Lowell Scott Middle (11), Meridian Middle (5), Pathways Middle (1), Sawtooth Middle (5), Star Middle (11), Victory Middle (5), Barbara Morgan STEM (2), Cecil D. Andrus Elementary (1), Chaparral Elementary (1), Chief Joseph School of the Arts (2), Christine Donnell (2), Desert Sage Elementary (3), Discovery Elementary (3), Eagle Elementary School of the Arts (3), Eliza Hart Spalding STEM (3), Frontier Elementary (2), Hillsdale Elementary (3), Hunter Elementary (4), Joplin Elementary (1), Lake Hazel Elementary (5), Mary McPherson (4), McMillan Elementary (2), Meridian Elementary (6), Peregrine Elementary (2), Pleasant View Elementary (1), Ponderosa Elementary (2), Prospect Elementary (2), River Valley Elementary (5), Seven Oaks Elementary (3), Siena Elementary (1), Silver Sage Elementary (1), Star Elementary (2), Summerwind STEM Academy (1), Ustick Elementary (6).

Testing totals: At the end of the day Friday, Health and Welfare reported that 448,001 people had been tested statewide. About 17.1% of those have been positive for COVID-19.

Counties with community spread: All counties except Adams have been announced to have community spread.

Counties with confirmed COVID-19 cases: Ada 20,041, Adams 74, Bannock 2,451, Bear Lake 137, Benewah 229, Bingham 1,683, Blaine 1,110, Boise 95, Bonner 745, Bonneville 5,204, Boundary 148, Butte 102, Camas 39, Canyon 12,227, Caribou 259, Cassia 1,819, Clark 40, Clearwater 326, Custer 119, Elmore 582, Franklin 447, Fremont 594, Gem 593, Gooding 652, Idaho 599, Jefferson 1,101, Jerome 1,471, Kootenai 5,948, Latah 1,493, Lemhi 364, Lewis 154, Lincoln 271, Madison 3,311, Minidoka 1,475, Nez Perce 1,827, Oneida 96, Owyhee 506, Payette 1,236, Power 358, Shoshone 443, Teton 384, Twin Falls 5,275, Valley 172, Washington 554.