Ada County wastewater tests show COVID-19 variants from UK, California in Boise Jacob Scholl and Audrey Dutton, The Idaho Statesman
Feb. 17 Samples of wastewater from Ada County show that the highly transmissible variants of the coronavirus have arrived in the Treasure Valley.
Wastewater samples from Boise, Eagle and Garden City reveal low levels of variants first detected in the United Kingdom and California, according to a news release from Boise-based Central District Health. The B.1.1.7 variant, first found in the UK, was detected in Boise s wastewater. A California variant was found in Boise-area wastewater, the release said.
The City of Boise cannot precisely locate where COVID-19 samples originate. The city collects samples from its two water-renewal facilities one near Veterans Memorial Park, and one in West Boise as the wastewater comes into the facilities from the community as a whole, according to city spokesperson Seth Ogilvie.
Idaho hospitals report record COVID-19 cases in ICUs as state begins vaccinations
and last updated 2020-12-19 18:54:25-05
As Idaho races to vaccinate health care workers, hospitals reported a record number of COVID-19 patients requiring intensive care this week.
A total of 120 COVID-19 patients were in ICUs across the state Tuesday, according to updated data the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported Friday. That number decreased to 118 patients on Wednesday, the last day data from the state was available.
There were 467 Idahoans hospitalized with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 on Wednesday. That number has fluctuated between 445 and 496 since Nov. 28.
At least 944 Idahoans had received the COVID-19 vaccination as of Friday, according to Health and Welfare.