Boise State Public Radio is here to keep you current on the news surrounding COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. This blog contains information from September 20-26 on closures, openings, cancellations & news regarding the coronavirus in Idaho.
Looking for resources? Click here. If you have specific questions or a story about the virus in Idaho, please submit them here.
If you are searching for information on something specific, we recommend using the "find" function (CTRL+F on a PC, COMMAND+F on a Mac). Or search the archived blog posts at the bottom of this page.
Member support is what makes local COVID-19 reporting possible. Support this coverage here.
Idaho Records Highest One-Day COVID-19 Case Count Since August, 468 New Confirmed Infections
September 25 - 5:19 p.m.
State health officials reported 468 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed by lab tests Friday. The statewide total of confirmed cases is now 39,575. There are an additional 3,525 probable cases statewide. This is the highest number of daily cases reported since August 14.
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported one new death Friday, bringing the statewide total to 458. The fatality occurred in Kootenai County.
Southwest Health District noted significant increases of COVID-19 cases in area schools. The health district reported more than 300 students and staff are now in quarantine and 21 individuals are in isolation.
Idaho Coronavirus Cases Top 400
September 24 - 5:30 p.m.
Idaho added 401 lab-confirmed coronavirus cases on Thursday, for a statewide case count of 35,764 over the course of the pandemic.
Three additional deaths due to COVID-19 were recorded, one in each of Adams, Canyon and Twin Falls counties, bringing the total number to 457.
Ada County added 50 cases on Thursday, Twin Falls saw 45, Kootenai had 44 and Canyon had 43.
Camas, Idaho and Madison counties had the highest seven-day averages for daily coronavirus cases on a per capita basis.
Resurgence Of Idaho COVID-19 Cases Continues
September 23 - 5:28 p.m.
Idaho reported another 258 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 Wednesday, but it also reported a record 138 probable cases. That means the total number of new confirmed and probable cases was 396, continuing a week-long resurgence in cases.
The state also reported an additional four deaths, bringing the total since the first Idaho case was reported in March to 454.
Idaho has reported 35,363 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 over the course of the pandemic.
Despite the uptick in cases, most parts of Idaho have few pandemic-related restrictions.
Idaho Doctors: Don't Wait On The Flu Shot
September 23 - 7:05 a.m.
Health officials are urging people to get the influenza vaccine this year to lessen the burden of the flu during the COVID-19 pandemic, and they're emphaszing getting it sooner rather than later.
Idaho Coronavirus Cases Remain Elevated Tuesday
September 22 - 5:27 p.m.
Idaho continues to report elevated levels of new coronavirus cases a little more than two weeks after the Labor Day holiday.
The state recorded 373 newly confirmed cases Tuesday and another four deaths related to COVID-19.
That adds up to 35,105 confirmed cases and 451 deaths since mid-March.
Over the past week, the number of cases recorded have spiked to levels not seen since mid- to late-August.
Hospitalizations, which have repeatedly kept Idaho back from moving out of Stage 4 of Gov. Brad Little’s reopening plan, are slowly declining.
The latest data available from Sept. 19 show 130 total hospitalizations and 39 people in the ICU, down slightly from recent levels.
Idaho Coronavirus Numbers Increase After Slight Weekend Drop
September 21 - 5:21 p.m.
Following a typical dip in lab-confirmed coronavirus cases over the weekend, state officials reported 373 new cases Monday. This brings Idaho’s total to 34,741. An additional 37 cases were listed as probable.
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported four new deaths Monday — two in Kootenai County and the first death in both Custer and Bear Lake Counties, bringing the state death toll to 447.
Idaho County, the largest county by area in the state, logged the highest daily count of confirmed cases at 91 Monday. This tops the state’s most-populous county Ada County, which logged 56. As of July 2019, the population of Ada County according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates was 481,587 — Idaho County’s was 16,667.
Other hot spots so far this week include the counties of Twin Falls, Canyon and Madison.
Skiing In Idaho This Winter? You Probably Won't Need A Reservation
September 21 - 7:45 a.m.
Ski resorts across the country are rolling out their plans for the winter season, which will begin during the COVID-19 pandemic that forced most mountains to shut their lifts early in March.
Since Vail Resorts announced in August that visitors will need to make reservations to access the more than 30 resorts it owns, as a COVID-19 precaution, skiers and snowboarders have been eyeing updates from other mountains.
News & Updates:
- The Idaho Official Resources for the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Updates
- World Health Organization Coronavirus Updates
- NPR Coronavirus Coverage
Resources:
- Coronavirus FAQ: Your Questions, Answered
- When And How To Wash Your Hands
- CDC U.S.Map
- Johns Hopkins World Map
- Idaho Governor Brad Little's Facebook
- Idaho Governor Brad Little's COVID-19 Twitter
