Coronavirus case numbers appeared to slow again during the final week of 2020.
However, COVID-19 death numbers increased during the holiday week.
As of Saturday evening, the state and its seven health districts reported 142,305 confirmed or probable coronavirus cases. That represents a 5 percent increase from the previous week.
As new case numbers slowed, new hospital and ICU admissions also appeared to slow during the week. This remains a key metric, as state leaders and hospital officials fear a surge of coronavirus cases could overwhelm the health care system.
This week’s numbers are probably incomplete, due to the New Year’s Day holiday. The health districts are not required to report numbers to the state on a daily basis, so some lag in reporting is likely.
Check back Friday evening for a blog post with current numbers.
Here are Saturday’s numbers, and comparisons with the previous week:
| Statewide data | Dec. 26 | Jan. 2 | Change, Dec. 19-26 | Change, Dec. 27-Jan. 2 |
| Cases, confirmed and probable | 135,886 | 142,305 | 7,668 | 6,419 |
| Total cases, ages 0-4 | 2,005 | 2,077 | 104 | 72 |
| Total cases, ages 5-12 | 4,712 | 4,930 | 202 | 218 |
| Total cases, ages 13-17 | 7,625 | 7,910 | 329 | 285 |
| Total cases, ages 18-29 | 34,328 | 35,684 | 1,727 | 1,356 |
| Deaths | 1,354 | 1,448 | 79 | 94 |
| Patients ever hospitalized | 5,392 | 5,687 | 306 | 295 |
| Patients ever admitted to ICU | 982 | 1,024 | 54 | 42 |
| Patients recovered, estimated | 54,574 | 60,164 | 4,660 | 5,590 |
| Idahoans tested | 536,767 | 548,008 | 14,850 | 11,241 |
| Health care workers infected | 6,629 | 7,134 | 414 | 505 |
| Vaccine doses administered | 9,673 | 18,527 | 7,367 | 8,854 |
Weekly positive test rate, as reported by the state: 13.2 percent for week ending Dec. 26; 12.6 percent for the week ending Dec. 19. Increase: 0.6 percentage points.
| Top 10 counties, by total cases | Dec. 26 | Jan. 2 | New cases, Dec. 27-Jan. 2 | New cases per day, per 100,000 population |
| Ada | 36,438 | 38,633 | 2,195 | 65.1 |
| Canyon | 19,903 | 20,749 | 846 | 52.6 |
| Kootenai | 11,942 | 12,822 | 880 | 75.9 |
| Bonneville | 10,084 | 10,440 | 356 | 42.7 |
| Twin Falls | 7,773 | 7,978 | 205 | 33.7 |
| Bannock | 6,189 | 6,482 | 293 | 47.7 |
| Madison | 5,162 | 5,266 | 104 | 37.4 |
| Bingham | 3,536 | 3,675 | 139 | 42.4 |
| Nez Perce | 2,944 | 3,027 | 83 | 29.3 |
| Cassia | 2,483 | 2,567 | 84 | 49.9 |
| Ten hotspot counties (most daily cases, per 100,000 population) | Dec. 26 | Jan. 2 | New cases, Dec. 27-Jan. 2 | New cases per day, per 100,000 population |
| Adams | 225 | 265 | 40 | 133.1 |
| Kootenai | 11,942 | 12,822 | 880 | 75.9 |
| Valley | 443 | 496 | 53 | 66.5 |
| Caribou | 506 | 539 | 33 | 65.9 |
| Ada | 36,438 | 38,633 | 2,195 | 65.1 |
| Boundary | 514 | 569 | 55 | 64.2 |
| Bonner | 1,807 | 1,998 | 191 | 59.7 |
| Bear Lake | 251 | 276 | 25 | 58.3 |
| Teton | 687 | 734 | 47 | 55.3 |
| Gem | 1,371 | 1,431 | 70 | 55.2 |
