This article was originally written by Nicole Blanchard for the Idaho Statesman.
Idaho recorded the lowest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in a single day since Nov. 1, according to data shared by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare on Sunday.
The decline comes as the state surpassed a significant milestone in its rollout of vaccinations against coronavirus infection — more than 10,000 doses of vaccines have been given to Idahoans.
Statewide, officials reported 326 new confirmed and 97 new probable cases of COVID-19 on Sunday for a total of 423 new cases. It’s the lowest number of confirmed cases in nearly two months and the lowest number of total cases since early October, as Idaho has seen a sustained surge in COVID-19 infections.
It’s likely the number was influenced in part by the weekend (reported cases have historically been lower on Sundays throughout the pandemic) and the holiday, though Idaho began to show a slight downturn in case numbers in the days leading up to Christmas. On Dec. 23, officials with St. Luke’s and Saint Alphonsus health systems were able to walk back projections that the state would hit crisis standards of health care by the holidays.
During the week leading up to and including Christmas Day, 293 people were newly admitted to Idaho hospitals with confirmed COVID-19, according to federal data.
By Sunday, Idaho had administered 10,099 COVID-19 vaccines, Health and Welfare data showed. The agency was set to begin administering vaccines to long-term care facility residents and employees on Monday, according to the Associated Press.
No new COVID-19-related deaths were reported Sunday. In Idaho, 1,357 people have died of COVID-19 since the pandemic reached Idaho in mid-March.
To date, 113,227 Idahoans have tested positive for COVID-19, and another 23,046 were considered “probable” for COVID-19. More than 55,000 Idahoans are presumed to have recovered from the illness.
The following Idaho counties reported new COVID-19 cases Sunday: Ada (144 new, 31,833 total), Adams (1 new, 178 total), Bannock (15 new, 3,722 total), Bingham (15 new, 2,237 total), Blaine (2 new, 1,425 total), Bonneville (6 new, 7,544 total), Boundary (2 new, 248 total), Canyon (93 new, 17,486 total), Cassia (1 new, 2,212 total), Elmore (3 new, 1,003 total), Franklin (2 new, 704 total), Gem (4 new, 1,071 total), Gooding (1 new, 834 total), Jefferson (1 new, 1,536 total), Jerome (4 new, 1,748 total), Kootenai (2 new, 10,727 total), Lincoln (1 new, 338 total), Madison (5 new, 4,598 total), Minidoka (1 new, 1,747 total), Owyhee (3 new, 771 total), Payette (5 new, 1,652 total), Power (1 new, 418 total), Twin Falls (10 new, 6,243 total), Valley (2 new, 364 total) and Washington (2 new, 742 total).
DAILY DETAILS
Vaccine doses administered in Idaho: 10,099, according to Health and Welfare.
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 5,425 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 993 admissions to the ICU and 6,648 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. 26, the health system was reporting 78 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 408 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 13%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of Dec. 26, the health system was reporting 74 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 250 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 23.7%.
Testing totals: At the end of the day Sunday, Health and Welfare reported that 537,536 people had been tested statewide. About 21% of those have been positive for COVID-19.
Counties with confirmed COVID-19 cases: Ada 31,833, Adams 178, Bannock 3,722, Bear Lake 190, Benewah 338, Bingham 2,237, Blaine 1,425, Boise 184, Bonner 1,540, Bonneville 7,544, Boundary 248, Butte 130, Camas 42, Canyon 17,486, Caribou 274, Cassia 2,212, Clark 44, Clearwater 613, Custer 157, Elmore 1,003, Franklin 704, Fremont 765, Gem 1,071, Gooding 834, Idaho 803, Jefferson 1,536, Jerome 1,748, Kootenai 10,727, Latah 2,000, Lemhi 389, Lewis 250, Lincoln 338, Madison 4,598, Minidoka 1,747, Nez Perce 2,720, Oneida 174, Owyhee 771, Payette 1,652, Power 418, Shoshone 760, Teton 473, Twin Falls 6,243, Valley 364, Washington 742.
