New case numbers decrease; other coronavirus metrics are mixed

As the state has reported its first case of the new omicron variant — and its 4,000^th COVID-19 death — new coronavirus cases slowed last week.

On Monday, the state reported 312,186 confirmed or probable coronavirus cases.

That translates to about 360 new cases per day since Dec. 4, compared to close to 450 daily cases the preceding week.

Other current numbers:

Child cases. The state has reported 421 new cases involving school-aged children since Dec. 4.

This translates to about 47 daily cases involving 5- to 17-year-olds, a slight decrease.

Four children were hospitalized with COVID-19, down from six the previous week.

One Idaho child has died of COVID-19.

Hospitalizations. A mixed trend.

On Wednesday, the state reported 311 COVID-19 hospitalizations, a 6% increase. The 87 ICU admissions represent a 5% decrease.

Deaths. The state has reported 62 new COVID-19 deaths since Dec. 4, bringing Idaho’s COVID-19 death toll to 4,032.

Death rates decreased from the preceding week.

Positive test rates. An increase, for the first time since September.

For the seven-day period ending Dec. 4, 7.1% of coronavirus cases came back positive, up from 6.9%.

Since July, the state’s positive test rate has exceeded 5%, the threshold that suggests a virus is out of control.

Vaccinations. The state reports 876,363 Idahoans have completed their vaccinations. But there are some oddities in the numbers.

The state reports more than 17,500 new vaccinations since Dec. 4 — which could be either a large spike in vaccinations or a large reporting spike.

And the state now says 56.3% of Idahoans over age 12 are vaccinated, after reporting a 57% rate a week ago.

Current vaccination rates, by age group:

5- to 11-year-olds: 6%. (This is a new data point; no numbers were reported last week.)
12- to 15-year-olds: 34%. (Last week: 33%.)
16- and 17-year-olds: 40%. (Unchanged.)
18- to 24-year-olds: 47%. (Last week: 46%.)

Booster dose rates (another new data point):

12- to 15-year-olds: 0.1%.
16- and 17-year-olds: 0.6%.
18- to 24-year-olds: 3.7%.
All age groups: 16%.

K-12 thumbnails

Current case numbers, as reported by the state’s largest school districts.

Boise: 34 positive cases last week, down from 49. Trustees decided Monday to continue a districtwide mask mandate.
Bonneville: 10 active infections, unchanged from last week.
Coeur d’Alene: 20 positive cases, down from 25.
Idaho Falls: 7 cases from Nov. 29 through Dec. 3. (12 cases from Nov. 15 through Nov. 26.)
Kuna: No current numbers available.
Moscow: Five new cases, up from three.
Nampa: 29 cases, down from 35 the previous week.
Pocatello-Chubbuck: 15 total cases, up from nine.
Twin Falls: Eight new student cases, up from three the previous week
West Ada: 20 active cases, up from seven on Dec. 6.

Higher education thumbnails

Here are the latest campus numbers.

Boise State University: 17 campus cases last week, down from 35. Positive test rate: 1.4%, down from 4.2%.
Brigham Young University-Idaho: Four active cases Sunday, down from 20.
College of Idaho: One recent case, down from eight the preceding week. The college has reported 64 total cases during fall semester.
College of Eastern Idaho: No cases over the past two weeks.
College of Southern Idaho: Five new cases last week, up from two the preceding week.
College of Western Idaho: No recent cases reported.
Idaho State University: 14 total cases for the week ending Tuesday, up from 11.
Lewis-Clark State College: Two active cases Friday, unchanged from the previous week.
North Idaho College: Five self-reported cases last week, up from one the preceding week.
University of Idaho: Four reported cases last week, down from six.

Editor’s note: School districts and colleges and universities do not necessarily count and report cases identically. The case numbers measure trends within a district, college or university, but they don’t provide comparisons between schools or districts.