Idaho’s coronavirus cases increased by 8 percent over the past week — marking a fifth successive week of a slowdown in new cases.
On Friday afternoon, the state and its health districts reported 2,207 confirmed or probable coronavirus cases, up from 2,043 cases a week ago.
Idaho’s coronavirus cases skyrocketed by 339 percent from March 28 through April 3, but the growth in new cases has steadily decreased each week since then. Last week’s increase was 9 percent.
Earlier this week, the State Board of Education effectively closed most Idaho schools for the remainder of the school year — limiting classrooms to no more than 10 people, in order to comply with Gov. Brad Little’s directive urging Idahoans to avoid public or private gatherings.
Little last week launched the first phase of Idaho Rebounds, a two-month plan to reopen the state’s economy. Little hopes to move into the second phase of the plan on May 16, further relaxing restrictions against business operations and gatherings.
During an AARP Idaho town hall meeting Tuesday, Little said he believes Idaho will be able to move into this second phase next week, “predicated on the incredible progress we have made.”
Other weekly trends:
| May 1 | May 8 | One-week change | |
| Deaths | 63 | 67 | 6 percent |
| Hospitalizations | 178 | 206 | 16 percent |
| ICU admissions | 76 | 86 | 13 percent |
| Cases, Ada County | 691 | 733 | 6 percent |
| Cases, Blaine County | 498 | 499 | 0.2 percent |
| Cases, Canyon County | 259 | 272 | 5 percent |
| Cases, Twin Falls County | 191 | 248 | 30 percent |
| Cases, Nez Perce County | 60 | 78 | 30 percent |
| Tests completed | 29,335 | 31,628 | 8 percent |
| Positive test rate (approximate: some patients undergo multiple tests) | 6.9 percent | 7.0 percent | +0.1 percentage point |
