Idahoâs COVID-19 positivity rate drops for third straight week, 7-day average also dips
Scripps
and last updated 2021-01-28 22:20:20-05
Idahoâs COVID-19 test positivity rate has decreased for the third week in a row.
On Thursday, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported a rate of 8.3% on 29,286 tests for the week of Jan. 17-23. It is the lowest statewide positivity rate since mid-September, but still above the 5% threshold that experts say shows control over the spread of the virus.
Idaho hasnât reached a positivity rate below 5% since last June.
Five of the stateâs seven public health districts saw a drop in positivity from the previous week. Boise-based Central District Health had the lowest rate, at 6.3%. Southeastern Idaho Public Health was the only district to experience an increase, going from 6.2% to 7.2%. Eastern Idaho Public Healthâs rate remained at 10.1%. Panhandle Health District had the highest rate, at 11.9%.
COVID-19: Taylor County adds 1 death, 112 cases; inpatients dip to 63
The deceased is a woman in her 70s. The average age of the deceased is 75.
The 112 new cases are based on 57 polymerase chain reaction tests and 55 antigen tests.
Active cases total 2,351 (997 PCR cases and 1,254 antigen cases). A week ago on Jan. 21, active cases totaled 2,524.
COVID-19 inpatients at Abilene hospitals dropped significantly to 63, compared to 75 on Wednesday. The peak COVID-19 inpatient number was 139 reported Jan. 3-4.
The most recent surge in hospitalizations began three months ago, when inpatients climbed from 52 on Nov. 1 to 109 on Nov. 30. The number stayed higher than 100, except for a few dips in the 90s in December, until the recent drop.
Idaho adds over 570 new coronavirus cases and 16 deaths, reports fewer hospitalizations Ruth Brown and Jacob Scholl, The Idaho Statesman
Jan. 26 Idaho reported 463 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus on Monday, with 113 new probable cases, and added 16 new deaths and three counties continued to represent the bulk of the additions.
COVID-19 hospitalizations have continued to dip in the state, and on Friday there were 213 coronavirus patients hospitalized, the lowest number since October, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
Ada County reported 103 new confirmed cases Monday, bringing the countywide total to 37,326, according to Health and Welfare. The county also reported four new deaths from COVID-19-related causes.
The total number of county deaths connected to COVID-19 is 270.
The deceased are two men in their 70s, a woman in her 70s and a man in his 50s, city officials said. The average age of the deceased is 75.
Of the 98 new cases, 54 are confirmed with polymerase chain reaction tests and 44 with antigen tests.
Active cases total 2,502 (1,111 PCR cases and 1,391 antigen cases). A week ago, active cases numbered 2,585.
COVID-19 inpatients at Abilene hospitals dipped to 84, 12 fewer than reported on Monday. The last time the inpatient figure was near that number was Nov. 18, at 83.
Hendrick Health on Monday reported the COVID-19 inpatient number for Abilene s trauma service area was 16.4% of the area s total hospital beds, down from 17.07% reported Sunday.
Idaho COVID-19 hospitalizations drop again to October level; state adds 11 more deaths Nicole Foy and Rachel Roberts, The Idaho Statesman
Jan. 23 Idaho s coronavirus situation continues to improve across several metrics as the state s vaccination rollout continues.
The number of Idahoans hospitalized with COVID-19 dropped again to 252 on Wednesday the fewest people hospitalized since Oct. 20. There were 67 people hospitalized in intensive care units Wednesday, the last day the data was available.
The state s seven-day case average also dropped to October levels at 615.1. Health and Welfare and the state s seven health districts reported 428 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and 149 probable cases Friday, for a total count of 577 new cases.