This article was originally published by Ian Max Stevenson in the Idaho Statesman.
Idaho’s daily COVID-19 case count remained low on Tuesday, with the state adding 193 cases, according to data from the Department of Health and Welfare.
Idaho’s case count has fallen in May. On May 3 the state’s moving seven-day average was 186 daily cases. That average has been between 158 and 167 since May 5, according to the data. New cases have yet to fall to levels seen this time last May, when daily cases averaged under 30, but that was the result of an emergency declaration and lockdown.
As usual, more than half of the state’s new cases were from Ada (32 new, 52,386 total), Canyon (37 new, 26,898 total) and Kootenai (38 new, 18,269 total) counties combined.
Idaho also added four deaths on Tuesday, according to Health and Welfare. Three of the individuals who died were older than 80, and one was in their 70s.
There have been 2,073 COVID-19-related deaths since last March, and 8,303 hospitalizations. The state estimates 110,036 people have recovered from the disease. Idaho’s case total stands at 190,279.
On Tuesday, the state reported that 641,909 people are at least partially vaccinated and 563,720 people are fully vaccinated.
The other counties adding new cases on Tuesday were: Bannock (3 new, 8,789 total), Bear Lake (2 new, 385 total), Bingham (2 new, 4,834 total), Blaine (3 new, 2,380 total), Boise (1 new, 361 total), Bonner (6 new, 3,262 total), Bonneville (10 new, 14,925 total), Caribou (4 new, 696 total), Cassia (1 new, 2,946 total), Elmore (3 new, 2,034 total), Franklin (1 new, 1,191 total), Gem (4 new, 1,785 total), Idaho (4 new, 1,240 total), Jefferson (2 new, 3,008 total), Jerome (2 new, 2,613 total), Latah (2 new, 3,175 total), Lemhi (1 new, 529 total), Lewis (5 new, 404 total), Lincoln (1 new, 509 total), Madison (10 new, 7,228 total), Owyhee (1 new, 1,069 total), Payette (3 new, 2,575 total), Twin Falls (10 new, 9,582 total), Washington (5 new, 1,221 total).
NEW VACCINE VAN
Blue Cross of Idaho gave $75,000 to Saint Alphonsus Health System to bolster the hospital’s mobile vaccine program, according to a news release, and the grant went toward purchasing a Ford Transit Van to be used as a mobile vaccine clinic in Southwest Idaho and Eastern Oregon. The van is being retrofitted with custom refrigeration, storage and seating, according to a Tuesday release.
Using rented vans, Saint Al’s said it has so far vaccinated 1,200 people in rural parts of the region over the past two months. The clinics have gone to “churches, schools, community centers, nonprofits and employers,” according to the hospital.
“COVID-19 has highlighted health inequities in the communities we serve,” Jennifer Palagi, VP of Community Health and Well-Being at Saint Al’s, said in the release. “One of the most critical needs we’ve seen is access to health care in rural, underserved and medically fragile communities. That’s why we launched our mobile vaccine program, to remove barriers to access.”
DAILY DETAILS
Vaccine doses administered in Idaho: 1,168,227, according to Health and Welfare. Of those, 563,720 people have been fully vaccinated.
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 8,303 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 1,402 admissions to the ICU and 10,625 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 May 17, the health system was reporting 25 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 500 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 4%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of May 17, the health system was reporting 23 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 374 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 6.4%.
Boise School District: Reported confirmed cases since May 11: Boise High (1), Borah High (1), Capital High (1), East Jr. High (2), Fairmont Jr. High (2), Garfield Elementary (2), Hillcrest Elementary (1), Hillside Jr. High (1), Riverglen Jr. High (2), Shadow Hills Elementary (1), West Jr. High (1), Whitney Elementary (2).
West Ada School District: Reported confirmed cases for May 5-May 18: Centennial High (2), Meridian High (3), Renaissance High (1), Rocky Mountain High (1), Sawtooth Middle (1), Star Middle (1), Hunter Elementary (2), Willow Creek Elementary (1).
Total COVID-19 cases by county (confirmed + probable): Ada 52,386, Adams 341, Bannock 8,789, Bear Lake 385, Benewah 686, Bingham 4,834, Blaine 2,380, Boise 361, Bonner 3,262, Bonneville 14,925, Boundary 870, Butte 210, Camas 71, Canyon 26,898, Caribou 696, Cassia 2,946, Clark 59, Clearwater 1,051, Custer 250, Elmore 2,034, Franklin 1,191, Fremont 1,133, Gem 1,785, Gooding 1,316, Idaho 1,240, Jefferson 3,008, Jerome 2,613, Kootenai 18,269, Latah 3,175, Lemhi 529, Lewis 404, Lincoln 509, Madison 7,228, Minidoka 2,342, Nez Perce 3,644, Oneida 362, Owyhee 1,069, Payette 2,575, Power 655, Shoshone 1,124, Teton 1,224, Twin Falls 9,582, Valley 840, Washington 1,221.
