This article was originally published by Ruth Brown in the Idaho Statesman.
Wednesday was a grim day for Idaho in the pandemic, as the state set a new record for the largest number of COVID-19-related deaths in one day, reporting 37 statewide.
Idaho recorded a record 1,840 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus Wednesday and 391 new probable cases, for a whopping total of 2,231 new cases statewide in one day, also a new record high.
Ada County alone recorded a record 653 new confirmed cases of the virus, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. That brings the countywide total to 25,856 people infected. Ada also added 499 new cases Tuesday. The seven-day average is 389.4 — another new high.
The additional 37 deaths of COVID-19-related causes Wednesday brought the statewide death toll to 1,125 people, with a case fatality rate of 0.97%. Twelve of the deaths were in Canyon County, nine were in Kootenai County, two were in Clearwater County, two were in Owyhee County, three were in Ada County and two were in Minidoka County. Bannock, Adams, Gem, Washington, Benewah, Boundary and Idaho counties saw one new death each.
Kootenai County recorded 318 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus Wednesday, bringing the countywide total to 8,436 infections.
Canyon County recorded 133 new confirmed cases, according to the Southwest Health District. The new cases bring the countywide total to 15,446 infected people and a Canyon County death toll of 169 people.
All six of the counties in the Southwest Health District — Canyon, Gem, Washington, Payette, Owyhee and Adams — are in the red zone. Being in the red means there are more than five new daily cases per 10,000 people and the risk of transmission is high.
Since the pandemic reached Idaho, a total of 97,568 infections have been confirmed across the state. Health and Welfare reported there have also been 18,753 probable cases statewide and estimated that 44,811 people have recovered.
Statewide, 455 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 on Monday, the latest data provided by IDHW. That included 93 in ICUs.
Gov. Brad Little is set to host a coronavirus press conference at noon Thursday to discuss his next steps. The press conference can be watched live on Idaho Public Television or on the Idaho Statesman’s website.
Under Little’s current modified order, there are few restrictions to combat the spread of the virus and he has repeatedly declined to implement a mask mandate.
Other counties to report new confirmed cases of the coronavirus Thursday include: Nez Perce 39 (2,423 total), Latah 32 (1,812 total), Idaho 7 (746 total), Lewis 8 (228 total), Clearwater 6 (543 total), Bannock 103 (3,195 total), Bingham 26 (2,012 total), Franklin 9 (606 total), Power 5 (390 total), Bear Lake 2 (170 total), Butte 1 (115 total), Gem 23 (910 total),Owyhee 5 (703 total), Payette 13 (1,511 total), Washington 5 (683 total), Boise 6 (138 total), Elmore 22 (779 total), Valley 4 (243 total), Benewah 4 (286 total), Boundary 4 (198 total), Bonner 28 (1,110 total), Shoshone 32 (592 total), Bonneville 164 (6,697 total), Custer 1 (147 total), Fremont 7 (732 total), Jefferson 25 (1,400 total), Madison 70 (4,244 total), Lemhi 1 (381 total), Teton -1 (444 total), Blaine 6 (1,331 total), Cassia 3 (2,090 total), Gooding 8 (784 total), Jerome 13 (1,675 total), Lincoln 3 (314 total), Minidoka 6 (1,645 total), Twin Falls 46 (5,962 total).
DAILY DETAILS
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 4,605 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 854 admissions to the ICU and 5,654 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 Dec. 8, the health system was reporting 133 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 499 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 19%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of Dec. 8, the health system was reporting 102 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 294 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 27.2%.
Boise School District: The district says the following schools or units have reported confirmed COVID-19 cases among students or staff since Dec. 1: District Services (5), DTEC (1), Hawthorne Elementary (2), Lowell Elementary (1), Monroe Elementary (1), Pierce Park Elementary (1), Riverglen Junior High (1), Taft Elementary (1), Trail Wind Elementary (1), Whitney 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 Nov. 25-Dec. 8: Centennial High (17), Central Academy (2), Eagle Academy (4), Eagle High (12), Idaho Fine Arts (2), Meridian Academy (2), Meridian High (24), Mountain View High (27), Renaissance High (10), Rocky Mountain High (29), Crossroads Middle (1), Eagle Middle (7), Heritage Middle (9), Lake Hazel Middle (11), Lewis and Clark Middle (11), Lowell Scott Middle (5), Meridian Middle (7), Sawtooth Middle (6), Star Middle (4), Victory Middle (5), Barbara Morgan STEM (4), Cecil D. Andrus Elementary (2), Chaparral Elementary (1), Chief Joseph School of the Arts (4), Christine Donnell (5), Desert Sage Elementary (4), Discovery Elementary (1), Eagle Hills Elementary (2), Eliza Hart Spalding STEM (1), Frontier Elementary (1), Galileo STEM Academy (2), Hillsdale Elementary (4), Hunter Elementary (3), Joplin Elementary (1), Lake Hazel Elementary (1), Mary McPherson (1), Meridian Elementary (3), Paramount Elementary (3), Pioneer School of the Arts (3), Pleasant View Elementary (2), Ponderosa Elementary (4), Prospect Elementary (5), Seven Oaks Elementary (1), Siena Elementary (3), Silver Sage Elementary (2), Star Elementary (1), Summerwind STEM Academy (1), Ustick Elementary (1), Willow Creek Elementary (2).
Testing totals: At the end of the day Wednesday, Health and Welfare reported that 495,738 people had been tested statewide. About 19.7% of those have been positive for COVID-19.
Counties with confirmed COVID-19 cases: Ada 25,856, Adams 101, Bannock 3,195, Bear Lake 170, Benewah 286, Bingham 2,012, Blaine 1,331, Boise 138, Bonner 1,110, Bonneville 6,697, Boundary 198, Butte 115, Camas 42, Canyon 15,446, Caribou 269, Cassia 2,090, Clark 43, Clearwater 543, Custer 147, Elmore 779, Franklin 606, Fremont 732, Gem 910, Gooding 784, Idaho 746, Jefferson 1,400, Jerome 1,675, Kootenai 8,436, Latah 1,812, Lemhi 381, Lewis 228, Lincoln 314, Madison 4,244, Minidoka 1,645, Nez Perce 2,423, Oneida 136, Owyhee 703, Payette 1,511, Power 390, Shoshone 592, Teton 444, Twin Falls 5,962, Valley 243, Washington 683.
