K-12 coronavirus cases continue drop, approaching a four-month low

Idaho’s K-12 coronavirus cases approached a four-month low last week.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported at least 87 K-12 cases for the five-day period ending Friday.

Idaho’s K-12 coronavirus cases approached a four-month low last week.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported at least 87 K-12 cases for the five-day period ending Friday.

Not only does Friday’s report represent another decrease, it’s Health and Welfare’s second-lowest weekly case count in K-12 schools. The agency launched the weekly counts on Oct. 1, reporting 51 cases involving K-12 students and teachers.

One caveat: The latest report only covers a five-day period, from Feb. 8 through Friday. Health and Welfare normally releases these reports on Monday — covering a seven-day period ending on Sunday. But since Monday is Presidents Day, a state holiday, this week’s count reports just five days.

The week’s hotspots:

  • Moscow High School: Seven cases.
  • Borah Senior High School, Boise: Four cases.
  • Trail Wind Elementary School, Boise: Four cases.
  • Whittier Elementary School, Boise: Four cases.
  • Fairview Elementary School, Idaho Falls: Three cases.
  • Lake City High School, Coeur d’Alene: Three cases.
  • Post Falls Middle School: Three cases.

Through Friday, Health and Welfare has linked at least 6,408 coronavirus cases to K-12 students and teachers, up from 6,198 on Feb. 8.

The weekly reports are a snapshot, and they’re incomplete.

Not every school reports its case numbers weekly. Health and Welfare does not release any case numbers from schools with fewer than 50 students, citing privacy concerns. In some cases, Health and Welfare provides only a minimum number of coronavirus cases for a school.

The highest case numbers for 2020-21, by school:

  • Lake City High School: 139 cases.
  • Coeur d’Alene High School: 99 cases.
  • Mountain View High School, Meridian: 94 cases.
  • Eagle High School: At least 86 cases.
  • Rocky Mountain High School, Meridian: 84 cases.
  • Jerome High School: 80 cases.
  • Thunder Ridge High School, Idaho Falls: At least 79 cases.
  • Meridian High School: 79 cases.
  • Bonneville High School: At least 77 cases.
  • Hillcrest High School, Ammon: At least 73 cases.

Through Saturday, the state and its health districts have reported 167,562 confirmed or probable coronavirus cases.

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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