This article was originally published by Rachel Roberts in the Idaho Statesman.
Idaho reported its most new COVID-19 cases in a single day Tuesday — with Ada County posting its largest number in more than three months.
The state added 828 new confirmed cases, tied for the third-most since the pandemic began, based on an analysis of data published by the seven health districts and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
IDHW added 353 new probable cases. That created a total of 1,181 new cases — topping the record of 1,111 on Oct. 23.
Ada County was responsible for 233 new confirmed cases, according to Boise-based Central District Health — the most since July 22. Ada County also added 65 new probable cases. Ada’s seven-day average for new confirmed cases is up to 142.4, the highest it has been since August.
Seven new deaths from COVID-19 were announced Tuesday between six counties. Kootenai County added two new deaths (53 total), and Bannock (15 total), Bingham (24 total), Canyon (114 total), Lincoln (5 total) and Payette (11 total) counties reported one each.
Southeastern Idaho Public Health says the Bingham County death was a male in his 80s, and the Bannock County death was a female in her 70s. Updated demographics from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare indicate the remaining deaths were all individuals 70 or older.
Idaho has lost 648 residents to the virus since the start of the pandemic. The case fatality rate is about 0.96%.
Idaho has seen 58,517 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, plus 8,801 total probable cases. Health and Welfare estimates 30,844 of those cases have recovered.
EMMETT SCHOOL DISTRICT NUMBERS UP
Six new confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported from Oct. 27 to Nov. 2 in the Emmett School District. That’s up from just one confirmed case from Oct. 20-26.
Over the last two weeks (Oct. 20-Nov. 2), the district has reported 45 quarantined students and staff, 20 suspected cases and seven confirmed cases.
Southwest District Health and Valor Health officials said Monday during their weekly COVID-19 health assessment phone conference that the positive cases stem from gatherings without masking combined with a lack of social distancing.
Gem County’s daily incidence rate also increased to 2.48 per 10,000 people, up from 2.169 the previous week. Valor Health reported a positivity rate of 13.7% over the past week, while the countywide rate is 9.84%.
Emmett Superintendent Craig Woods reminded staff to review COVID-19 prevention protocols to ensure they are being followed.
“It’s easy to become complacent as we move into the ninth month of this pandemic,” Woods said in a news release. “However, we don’t want to take for granted our face-to-face learning environment. I don’t think anyone wants to go back to a hybrid schedule or 100% distance learning platform. It’s not educationally effective nor emotionally healthy for the bulk of our students. This is not the time to let our guard down. We need to look at the complete picture.”
DAILY DETAILS
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 2,691 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 560 admissions to the ICU and 4,040 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. 2, the health system was reporting 96 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 511 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 16%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of Nov. 2, the health system was reporting 40 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 335 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 10.7%.
Boise School District: The district says the following schools or units have reported confirmed COVID-19 cases among students or staff from Oct. 20-Nov. 2: Amity Elementary (2), Boise High (4), Borah High (1), Capital High (3), District Services Center (1), Fairmont Junior High (6), Frank Church High School (3), Garfield Elementary (1), Grace Jordan Elementary (1), Hawthorne Elementary (1), Highlands Elementary (2), Hillside Junior High (2), Les Bois Junior High (1), Liberty Elementary (2), Longfellow Elementary (1), Maple Grove Elementary (2), Monroe Elementary (2), Mountain View Elementary (1), North Junior High (4), Riverglen Junior High (2), Riverside Elementary (2), Roosevelt Elementary (2), Shadow Hills Elementary (2), Timberline High (5), Trail Wind Elementary (1), Valley View Elementary (1), West Junior High (2), White Pine Elementary (1), Whitney Elementary (2), Whittier Elementary (1).
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 Oct. 18-31: Centennial High (2), Eagle High (6), Meridian High (10), Mountain View High (7), Renaissance High (1), Rocky Mountain High (4), Eagle Middle (2), Heritage Middle (1), Lake Hazel Middle (2), Lewis and Clark Middle (3), Lowell Scott Middle (3), Meridian Middle (1), Sawtooth Middle (2), Star Middle (1), Victory Middle (1), Cecil D. Andrus Elementary (2), Chief Joseph School of the Arts (1), Discovery Elementary (1), Eagle Hills Elementary (1), Galileo STEM Academy (1), Hillsdale Elementary (1), McMillan Elementary (3), Meridian Elementary (1), Paramount Elementary (1), Peregrine Elementary (1), Pioneer School of the Arts (1), River Valley Elementary (3).
Testing totals: At the end of the day Tuesday, Health and Welfare reported that 392,973 people had been tested statewide. About 14.9% 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 15,662, Adams 61, Bannock 1,971, Bear Lake 74, Benewah 187, Bingham 1,316, Blaine 885, Boise 72, Bonner 483, Bonneville 3,834, Boundary 96, Butte 90, Camas 36, Canyon 9,787, Caribou 229, Cassia 1,408, Clark 33, Clearwater 149, Custer 89, Elmore 431, Franklin 333, Fremont 486, Gem 398, Gooding 525, Idaho 406, Jefferson 850, Jerome 1,094, Kootenai 4,353, Latah 998, Lemhi 280, Lewis 92, Lincoln 215, Madison 2,481, Minidoka 1,182, Nez Perce 1,006, Oneida 67, Owyhee 376, Payette 1,028, Power 324, Shoshone 291, Teton 283, Twin Falls 3,986, Valley 128, Washington 442.
