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Idaho’s COVID-19 test positivity rate still declining; 1,300-plus new cases, 31 deaths

On Thursday, Idaho health officials reported that the state’s COVID-19 test positivity rate had declined to the lowest percentage since early August. At the same time, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported more than 1,300 new cases and 31 deaths tied to the illness.

According to IDHW’s coronavirus data dashboard, the state’s test positivity rate — the percentage of COVID tests that are positive — fell to 12% for the week of Oct. 10-16. It continues the recent trend of declining test positivity and marks the lowest the metric has been since early August, when it was at 11.8%.

Just one month prior, the positivity rate was 17.3%.

In addition, the positivity rate for Central District Health, which includes Ada County, fell to the single digits for the first time since mid-July. The test positivity rate for Oct. 10-16 was 9.6%, down from 10.9% the previous week.

The agency on Thursday reported 1,328 new cases of COVID-19. To date, the state has reported 282,796 cases of coronavirus infection.

IDHW also reported 31 new COVID-related deaths on Thursday. The deaths were reported in the following counties: Ada (7 new, 744 total), Bannock (2 new, 171 total), Bingham (2 new, 112 total), Blaine (1 new, 25 total), Bonneville (1 new, 210 total), Canyon (4 new, 491 total), Caribou (2 new, 19 total), Cassia (1 new, 35 total), Custer (1 new, 6 total), Idaho (1 new, 32 total), Jefferson (1 new, 43 total), Jerome (1 new, 48 total), Lemhi (1 new, 17 total), Nez Perce (1 new, 93 total), Oneida (2 new, 8 total), Twin Falls (2 new, 206 total), Washington (1 new, 44 total).

Idaho has reported 3,377 COVID deaths since the start of the pandemic.

For a full list of the weekend’s county-by-county totals, visit our “What we know” story.