Coronavirus trendline, 3.5.21: Vaccination numbers increase, case numbers decrease

As coronavirus vaccination numbers surged to a one-week high, new coronavirus cases dropped slightly.

As of Friday afternoon, the state and its seven health districts reported 172,919 confirmed or probable coronavirus cases. This represented a 1.1 percent increase from last week.

Meanwhile, the state administered a record 74,944 vaccinations, a one-week increase of 23 percent. The surge was driven, in part, by the arrival of the newly approved one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. State officials expected more than 13,000 Johnson & Johnson doses this week, but expect no additional shipments next week. State officials hope to see supplies improve — and vaccination numbers rebound — later in March.

In other coronavirus headlines from the week:

The pace picks up. The state will accelerate its vaccination schedule, allowing another 134,000 frontline workers to receive vaccines starting March 15. The faster timetable could bode well for thousands of Idahoans — including college and university staff and students — still biding their time in the vaccination queue.

Registration site goes live. On Friday, the state launched a vaccination preregistration site. (Click here to sign up.) “The new pre-registration system is designed to take the frustration out of getting a COVID-19 vaccination appointment,” Gov. Brad Little said in a news release. “It is user-friendly, easy to understand, and it was built from the ground up with Idahoans in mind.”

An ISAT reality check. The Biden administration is requiring states to administer standardized tests — including the Idaho Standards Achievement Test. After two years without an assessment, state leaders say the results could help quantify learning loss stemming from the pandemic. “You can’t fix a problem you don’t understand,” State Board of Education member Kurt Liebich said this week.

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

Statewide data Feb. 26 March 5 Change, Feb. 20-26 Change, Feb. 27-March 5
Cases, confirmed and probable 171,039 172,919 1,977 1,880
Total cases, ages 0-4 2,539 2,580 36 41
Total cases, ages 5-12 6,257 6,372 91 115
Total cases, ages 13-17 9,700 9,849 147 149
Total cases, ages 18-29 42,629 43,099 521 470
Deaths 1,860 1,877 34 17
Patients ever hospitalized 7,065 7,179 92 114
Patients ever admitted to ICU 1,229 1,245 10 16
Patients recovered, estimated 93,975 95,808 2,338 2,433
Total tests administered 1,080,708 1,101,848 23,969 21,140
Health care workers infected 9,558 9,697 152 139
Idahoans vaccinated 233,241 271,684 28,089 38,443
Idahoans fully vaccinated 113,152 149,643 32,763 36,491
Vaccine doses administered 346,393 421,337 60,852 74,944

Weekly positive test rate, as reported by the state: 4.5 percent for week ending Feb. 27, down from 4.6 percent the previous week.

Top 10 counties, by total cases Feb. 26 March 5 New cases, Feb. 27-March 5 New cases per day, per 100,000 population
Ada 46,696 47,230 534 15.8
Canyon 24,693 24,870 177 11.0
Kootenai 16,629 16,772 143 12.3
Bonneville 12,126 12,427 301 36.1
Twin Falls 8,996 9,029 33 5.4
   
Bannock 7,862 7,955 93 15.1
Madison 6,329 6,427 98 35.3
Bingham 4,239 4,316 77 23.5
Nez Perce 3,352 3,371 19 6.7
Bonner 2,969 3,002 33 10.3
   
Ten hotspot counties (most daily cases, per 100,000 population) Feb. 26 March 5 New cases, Feb. 27-March 5 New cases per day, per 100,000 population
Bonneville 12,126 12,427 301 36.1
Madison 6,329 6,427 98 35.3
Teton 1,074 1,100 26 30.6
Fremont 1,006 1,031 25 27.3
Latah 2,723 2,799 76 27.1
   
Benewah 609 626 17 26.1
Jefferson 2,444 2,494 50 23.9
Bingham 4,239 4,316 77 23.5
Bear Lake 349 359 10 23.3
Blaine 2,159 2,188 29 18.0

 

Kevin Richert

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 "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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