STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

Idaho’s COVID case numbers have been on a downward trend for four weeks.

But they’re still too high, especially in three south-central Idaho counties, including Blaine County, state health officials said Tuesday.

The three counties with the highest COVID-19 infection rates in Idaho are Gooding, Blaine and Twin Falls—all in south-central Idaho. The counties have a seven-day moving average incidence of 140.2, 115.4 and 107.0 per 100,000 people respectively.

That compares with much of the rest of the state, which is seeing fewer than 25 new cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day period.

Lincoln and Gooding counties round out the top five counties in the state when it comes to a high rate of new COVID-19 cases. And Minidoka and Cassia counties are in the top 10.

Dr. Kathryn Turner, deputy state epidemiologist, acknowledged in a COVID briefing Tuesday afternoon that rates in the Magic and Wood River valleys are not going down as fast as other areas.

She added that health officials do not know why that is. The area—especially the Wood River Valley—had one of the highest rates in the United States in the spring of 2020 and it could be that the natural immunity among residents of those counties who previously had COVID is waning, she offered.

Resort communities are different, she added, referring to the Sun Valley area, which welcomes hundreds of visitors from around the world each week.

Idaho’s test positivity rate is now 10 percent, meaning one in 10 Idahoans getting tested for COVID is positive. That’s down from a record high of 32 percent the week of Jan. 23-29 but still above the 5 percent level the health officials consider a marker of low transmission.

The state added just 9,131 new cases last week--a 20 percent decrease from the week before. Idaho hospitals are reporting 276 hospitalizations due to COVID--a 27 percent decrease, and 62 ICU admissions--a 28 percent decrease.

Fifty-four Idahoans died this past week a 56 percent decrease from the week before.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Community Library has rescinded its face mask requirement following new guidance by the Centers for Disease Control. But it is continuing to require proof of vaccination and masks for those attending events in the Lecture Hall where adequate spacing is not feasible.