Idaho’s COVID-19 daily average, test positivity rate reach lows last seen a year ago
Editor’s Note: We’re changing our COVID-19 data coverage. On June 1, the Idaho Statesman stopped publishing daily COVID-19 data stories. However, we continue to update our “what we know” file that provides a daily look at new cases by county and other key numbers. We will publish a weekly story on Fridays (Sunday print) that highlights all of the most important information from the week, including the trend in new cases, the weekly test positivity rate, vaccine uptake and the long-term care report.
The number of new COVID-19 cases reported the week of May 31 fell compared to the prior week, according to new data from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
A total of 783 cases were reported this week. Last week, the state reported 944 cases. On Friday, the state’s seven-day moving average was 112, down from 135 the week prior. Idaho’s seven-day average hasn’t been this low since late June of 2020.
The state also recorded 11 deaths this week, which is one more than last week. Four of this week’s deaths were reported at long-term care facilities, where 797 people have died from the virus.
Since Monday, Health and Welfare has added 31 COVID-19 hospitalizations to its data dashboard, plus six ICU admissions. Since the start of the pandemic, 8,634 people have been admitted to Idaho hospitals and 1,458 have been sent to an ICU.
Idaho’s vaccination rates have been tumbling for weeks, despite all persons older than 12 being eligible for the preventative treatment. Since June 1, the state has administered only 7,284 first or second doses, according to data from Health and Welfare.
Across the state, many health care providers are offering walk-in appointments to receive vaccines, which have been shown to be safe and highly effective.
Idaho’s test positivity rate stayed at or below the 5% benchmark for the eighth consecutive week. Of the 15,527 COVID-19 tests conducted for the week of May 23-29, 4.2% came back positive. That’s a dip from 5.0% last week.
To date, Idaho has reported 192,795 confirmed and probable cases, plus 2,101 deaths. Health and Welfare estimates that 112,053 Idahoans have recovered from the virus.
Long-term care update
As of Friday, there were 944 cases of COVID-19 associated with 22 long-term care facilities in Idaho. Since last March, there have been over 320 outbreaks at care facilities and 9,588 total cases.
Long-term care deaths account for nearly 40% of COVID-19 deaths statewide.
Below is a list of long-term care facilities by city that have active cases of the coronavirus among residents and/or staff. For an outbreak to be considered “resolved,” more than 28 days must pass (two incubation periods) without any additional cases associated with the facility.
American Falls: Edgewood Spring Creek American Falls; Boise: Avamere Transitional Care; Blackfoot: Bingham Memorial Skilled Nursing; Bonners Ferry: Community Restorium; Chubbuck: Brookdale Chubbuck, Grace at Chubbuck; Coeur d’Alene: Life Care Center of Coeur d’Alene, LaCrosse Health & Rehab; Emmett: River’s Edge Rehab; Garden City: Garnet Place, Idaho Falls: Lincoln Court Retirement Community;
Jerome: Desano Place Assisted Living; Lewiston: Guardian Angel Homes Lewiston (now Generations at Lewiston); Meridian: Aspire-Elk Run, Aspire-Vineyard; Nampa: Heron Place, Aspire-Sunset Oaks; Orofino: Clearwater Health & Rehab of Cascadia; Pocatello: Gateway Transitional Care Center, Brookdale Pocatello, Elegant Residential Living; Shelley: Diamond Peak of Shelley.
Weekly snapshot
Vaccine doses administered in Idaho: 1,237,581, according to Health and Welfare. Of those, 600,070 people have been fully vaccinated, which accounts for 40% of Idahoans age 12 and older.
Test positivity rate: Out of the 15,527 COVID-19 tests conducted for the week of May 23-29, 4.2% came back positive.
Counties with highest current seven-day incidence rate per 100,000 population: Idaho 26.6, Lewis 22.3, Shoshone 15.5, Kootenai 13.3, Clearwater 13.1.
