Coronavirus trendline, 4.23.21: New case numbers drop — but so do vaccination numbers - Idaho EdNews

Idaho’s coronavirus case numbers dropped again this week, remaining at numbers not seen since last summer.

But Idaho’s vaccination rollout hit a pothole.

Idaho administered 70,329 vaccinations in the past week, the lowest figure since late February.

The slowdown in vaccinations comes as state officials say vaccine supply could soon outstrip demand — and as some health officials are sounding the alarm about “vaccine hesitancy.”

“We’re worried that people are becoming increasingly hesitant in a time when we need to see our vaccination rates increase,” said state public health administrator Elke Shaw-Tulloch, as reported Tuesday by Kyle Pfannenstiel of the Idaho Falls Post Register.

“We cannot rely on natural immunity as the main source of herd immunity,” Dr. Meghan McInerney, ICU medical director at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, said on Boise State Public Radio this week. “We have vaccines available; that is the best way to get to herd immunity.”

Vaccinations are available to all Idahoans age 16 and older.

As of Friday afternoon, the state and its seven health districts reported 186,302 confirmed or probable coronavirus cases, a 0.8 percent weekly increase.

The new case numbers represent the lowest weekly figure since late June.

Here are this week’s numbers, and comparisons with the previous week:

Statewide data	April 16	April 23	Change, April 10-16	Change, April 17-23
Cases, confirmed and probable	184,886	186,302	1,646	1,416
Deaths	2,017	2,031	24	14
Patients ever hospitalized	7,943	8,033	221	90
Patients ever admitted to ICU	1,361	1,368	41	7
Idahoans vaccinated	559,968	585,090	41,518	25,122
Idahoans fully vaccinated	399,110	444,371	53,882	45,261
Vaccine doses administered	927,665	997,994	88,810	70,329
‘Breakthrough’ cases (vaccinated Idahoans who later test positive)	154	179	N/A	25
Total tests administered	1,234,070	1,256,053	20,607	21,983
Health care workers infected	10,303	10,402	128	99
Patients recovered, estimated	104,211	105,732	1,514	1,521
Total cases, ages 0-4	2,837	2,865	43	28
Total cases, ages 5-12	7,067	7,144	88	77
Total cases, ages 13-17	10,698	10,814	110	116
Total cases, ages 18-29	46,114	46,529	437	415

Weekly positive test rate, as reported by the state: 4.7 percent for week ending April 17, unchanged from the previous week.

Top 10 counties, by total cases	April 16	April 23	New cases, April 17-23	New cases per day, per 100,000 population
Ada	50,617	51,116	499	14.8
Canyon	26,076	26,243	167	10.4
Kootenai	17,481	17,610	129	11.1
Bonneville	14,593	14,708	115	13.8
Twin Falls	9,309	9,354	45	7.4
Bannock	8,577	8,640	63	10.2
Madison	7,092	7,117	25	9.0
Bingham	4,792	4,807	15	4.6
Nez Perce	3,532	3,557	25	8.8
Bonner	3,181	3,205	24	7.5
Ten hotspot counties (most daily cases, per 100,000 population)	April 16	April 23	New cases, April 17-23	New cases per day, per 100,000 population
Elmore	1,898	1,954	56	29.1
Shoshone	1,062	1,079	17	18.9
Latah	3,019	3,066	47	16.7
Teton	1,188	1,202	14	16.5
Blaine	2,330	2,354	24	14.9
Ada	50,617	51,116	499	14.8
Bonneville	14,593	14,708	115	13.8
Jefferson	2,937	2,965	28	13.4
Boise	339	346	7	12.8
Jerome	2,557	2,577	20	11.7

About Kevin Richert

Senior reporter and blogger Kevin Richert specializes in education politics and education policy. He has more than 30 years of experience in Idaho journalism. He is a frequent guest on KIVI 6 On Your Side; "Idaho Reports" on Idaho Public Television; and "Idaho Matters" on Boise State Public Radio. Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KevinRichert. He can be reached at [email protected]

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The dropoff in statewide case numbers comes as the state passed a somber milestone, 13 months into the pandemic. On Tuesday, Idaho recorded its 2,000th COVID-19 death.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported at least 99 K-12 cases for a seven-day period ending Sunday, down from 111 new cases the previous week.

Last week, six colleges and universities reported no new coronavirus cases, or just a single active case. Boise State University reported the highest number of active cases, and a slight increase from the previous increase.

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