In lowest daily total since March, Idaho adds 166 COVID-19 cases. Positivity rate stays low

Idaho’s 166 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday was the lowest daily caseload since early March, according to updated data from the Department of Health and Welfare, continuing an encouraging downward trend since spring arrived.

The last time fewer than 166 cases were recorded on a single day was March 6, when the state added just 105.

Dropping infections have diminished the seven-day moving average of cases, which was over 1,000 per day as recently as mid-January. On Thursday, it stood at 160.3.

The state’s encouraging trend regarding the coronavirus test positivity rate also continued. For the week of April 25-May 1, the rate was 4.3%, marking four straight weeks of below 5%. According to the World Health Organization, positivity rates should be at or below 5% for at least 14 days before an area considers reopening safely. Experts say having a rate that’s under 5% shows control over spread of the virus.

Of Thursday’s new cases, most were recorded in Ada (31 new, 51,871 total), Canyon (47 new, 26,625 total) and Kootenai (22 new, 17,921 total) counties again. It’s the first day since late February that Canyon saw more cases than Ada.

Idaho added one death on Thursday, in Cassia County (27 total). The individual was in their 70s. The total since last March is 2,053.

Overall, 8,199 people have been hospitalized with COVID-19, 1,383 people have been admitted to the ICU and 10,527 health care workers have been infected. There have been 108,303 estimated recoveries and 188,435 recorded cases since the pandemic reached Idaho last March.

Over 516,000 people have been fully vaccinated, and the state has administered 1,097,144 doses of vaccine.

The other counties adding new cases Thursday were: Bannock (7 new, 8,738 total), Benewah (4 new, 675 total), Bonner (1 new, 3,231 total), Bonneville (9 new, 14,858 total), Clearwater (1 new, 1,049 total), Gem (1 new, 1,761 total), Gooding (1 new, 1,303 total), Idaho (6 new, 1,210 total), Jefferson (7 new, 2,992 total), Jerome (2 new, 2,594 total), Latah (1 new, 3,122 total), Lewis (1 new, 395 total), Madison (1 new, 7,171 total), Nez Perce (6 new, 3,609 total), Oneida (1 new, 359 total), Owyhee (2 new, 1,062 total), Payette (4 new, 2,548 total), Shoshone (2 new, 1,105 total), Teton (1 new, 1,214 total), Twin Falls (7 new, 9,478 total), Washington (1 new, 1,213 total).

DAILY DETAILS

Vaccine doses administered in Idaho: 1,097,144, according to Health and Welfare. Of those, 516,449 people have been fully vaccinated.

Overall hospitalizations: Health and Welfare reports that there have been 8,199 hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, 1,383 admissions to the ICU and 10,527 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 5, the health system was reporting 26 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 521 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 4%.

Saint Alphonsus Health System: As of May 5, the health system was reporting 29 patients in its hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 out of 383 patients overall. The health system reported a 14-day coronavirus test positivity rate of 8.3%.

Boise School District: Reported confirmed cases since April 27: Boise High School (2), Garfield Elementary (1), Liberty Elementary (1), Maple Grove Elementary (2), Shadow Hills Elementary (2), Trail Wind Elementary (2), West Jr. High (1).

West Ada School District: Reported confirmed cases for April 22 - May 5: Centennial High (2), Eagle High (3), Meridian High (3), Lake Hazel Middle (1), Lewis and Clark Middle (2), Lowell Scott Middle (1), Meridian Middle (1), Chaparral Elementary (1), Christine Donnell (1), Eliza Hart Spalding STEM Academy (1), Hillsdale Elementary (1), Pepper Ridge Elementary (1), Peregrine Elementary (1), Ponderosa Elementary (1).

Total COVID-19 cases by county (confirmed + probable): Ada 51,871, Adams 339, Bannock 8,738, Bear Lake 383, Benewah 675, Bingham 4,811, Blaine 2,368, Boise 355, Bonner 3,231, Bonneville 14,858, Boundary 868, Butte 210, Camas 71, Canyon 26,625, Caribou 692, Cassia 2,938, Clark 59, Clearwater 1,049, Custer 247, Elmore 1,993, Franklin 1,182, Fremont 1,129, Gem 1,761, Gooding 1,303, Idaho 1,210, Jefferson 2,992, Jerome 2,594, Kootenai 17,921, Latah 3,122, Lemhi 524, Lewis 395, Lincoln 502, Madison 7,171, Minidoka 2,336, Nez Perce 3,609, Oneida 359, Owyhee 1,062, Payette 2,548, Power 653, Shoshone 1,105, Teton 1,214, Twin Falls 9,478, Valley 837, Washington 1,213.