This article was originally published by Nicole Blanchard in the Idaho Statesman.
Idaho health officials reported 456 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, along with nine new deaths.
Of the new cases, nearly one-quarter were reported in Bonneville County, home to Idaho Falls. The East Idaho county added 107 cases on Wednesday, more than even Ada County, the most populated in the state. Bonneville County has reported triple-digit case numbers for several days this week, indicating a possible new outbreak.
Ada County also made up a bulk of Wednesday’s new cases, recording 103.
Officials also reported nine new deaths statewide. Three of those were in Kootenai County, which has now lost 190 residents to COVID-19-related causes. One death was reported in each of the following counties: Bonner (34 total), Bonneville (150 total), Franklin (15 total), Jerome (22 total), Minidoka (30 total) and Valley (6 total).
The Bonneville County death was a woman in her 60s, according to Eastern Idaho Public Health.
Since last March, 1,901 Idahoans have died of COVID-19. The state’s caseload total (confirmed/probable combined) now sits at 174,246.
The following Idaho counties reported new cases: Ada (103 new, 47,519 total), Bannock (39 new, 8,034 total), Bear Lake (1 new, 361 total), Benewah (2 new, 632 total), Bingham (23 new, 4,381 total), Blaine (5 new, 2,199 total), Boise (2 new, 314 total), Bonner (6 new, 3,027 total), Bonneville (107 new, 12,792 total), Canyon (24 new, 24,958 total), Cassia (4 new, 2,877 total), Clearwater (2 new, 1,009 total), Custer (2 new, 235 total), Elmore (12 new, 1,643 total), Franklin (2 new, 1,088 total), Fremont (4 new, 1,040 total), Gooding (3 new, 1,273 total), Jefferson (25 new, 2,559 total), Kootenai (20 new, 16,872 total), Latah (15 new, 2,833 total), Lemhi (4 new, 506 total), Lewis (1 new, 381 total), Lincoln (1 new, 488 total), Madison (27 new, 6,512 total), Minidoka (3 new, 2,294 total), Nez Perce (2 new, 3,390 total), Oneida (1 new, 332 total), Owyhee (1 new, 1,021 total), Payette (1 new, 2,393 total), Power (3 new, 632 total), Twin Falls (8 new, 9,054 total) and Valley (3 new, 806 total).
SAINT AL’S ADMINISTERS FIRST VACCINES VIA MOBILE UNIT
Saint Alphonsus health system vaccinated 30 people Wednesday as part of the debut of its mobile unit dedicated to bringing the COVID-19 vaccine to those who may have trouble accessing it.
In a news release, officials said residents, staff and volunteers at Good Samaritan Home in Boise received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which is just a single shot. It’s the first time the health system has brought vaccines to an off-site community.
Saint Al’s officials said the mobile clinic is meant to make vaccines more accessible to individuals who are having trouble scheduling vaccination appointments or finding transportation.
DAILY DETAILS
Vaccine doses administered in Idaho: 470,647, according to Health and Welfare. Of those, 175,439 people have been fully vaccinated.
Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 7,259 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 1,254 admissions to the ICU and 9,742 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 March 9, the health system was reporting 13 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 452 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 4%.
Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of March 9, the health system was reporting 26 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 367 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 8.4%.
Boise School District: Reported confirmed cases since March 2: Borah High (3), Capital High (1), Garfield Elementary (3), Horizon Elementary (1), Maple Grove Elementary (1), Morley Nelson Elementary (1), North Jr. High (1), Riverglen Jr. High (1), Trail Wind Elementary (1).
West Ada School District: Reported confirmed cases for Feb. 24-March 9: Centennial High (2), Eagle High (7), Mountain View High (2), Renaissance High (1), Rocky Mountain High (3), Eagle Middle (1), Heritage Middle (1), Lake Hazel Middle (1), Sawtooth Middle (1), Barbara Morgan STEM Academy (1), Christine Donnell School of the Arts (2), Discovery Elementary (1), Galileo STEM Elementary (1), Hillsdale Elementary (3), Joplin Elementary (1), Mary McPherson Elementary (1), Peregrine Elementary (1), River Valley Elementary (1).
Total COVID-19 cases by county (confirmed + probable): Ada 47,519, Adams 332, Bannock 8,034, Bear Lake 361, Benewah 632, Bingham 4,381, Blaine 2,199, Boise 314, Bonner 3,027, Bonneville 12,792, Boundary 824, Butte 200, Camas 70, Canyon 24,958, Caribou 629, Cassia 2,877, Clark 54, Clearwater 1,009, Custer 235, Elmore 1,643, Franklin 1,088, Fremont 1,040, Gem 1,702, Gooding 1,273, Idaho 1,165, Jefferson 2,559, Jerome 2,515, Kootenai 16,872, Latah 2,833, Lemhi 506, Lewis 381, Lincoln 488, Madison 6,512, Minidoka 2,294, Nez Perce 3,390, Oneida 332, Owyhee 1,021, Payette 2,393, Power 632, Shoshone 1,016, Teton 1,106, Twin Falls 9,054, Valley 806, Washington 1,178.
