BOISE, Idaho — The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (IDHW) held its weekly media briefing about COVID-19 in the Gem State Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.
During the briefing, IDHW director Dave Jeppesen announced "the COVID numbers across the state continue to go the wrong direction." Jeppesen said last week's testing positivity rate across Idaho set a new record at 38.8%.
Nearly two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, Idaho has seen new daily case numbers surge to the highest they have been since the state's first case was confirmed. Also, crisis standards of care have been activated for a second time in the Central, Southwest and South Central public health districts, which include the Treasure and Magic valleys.
On Tuesday, Jeppesen confirmed the crisis standards of care activation in the three local health districts remain in place due to "a severe shortage of staffing and blood supplies."
Saint Alphonsus Health System requested activation of crisis standards on Friday, Jan. 21, citing a nationwide blood shortage and a of clinical and nonclinical staff, due in large part to a high rate of illness.
Jeppesen also provided a chart with information from Dec. 1, 2021 through Jan. 29, 2022. The chart from IDHW showed those who have received a COVID-19 booster shot are 11 times less likely to be hospitalized and 20 times less likely to die from COVID-19 than those who are unvaccinated.
A sub-variant of the Omicron COVID-19 was confirmed for the first time in Ada County, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare announced Jan.28.
The infectiousness and severity of Omicron sub-lineage BA.2 is unknown. The earlier Omicron variant, BA.1, is responsible for 98% of the current infections in the Treasure Valley, according to Health and Welfare.
Tuesday's COVID-19 media briefing was the first since the Omicron sub-variant was detected in Idaho.
State epidemiologist Dr. Christine Hahn also provided updates on monoclonal antibodies Evusheld and Sotrovimab, as well as antiviral medications Veklury, Paxlovid and Molnupiravir, and how much of each Idaho is allotted on a two-week basis.
Statewide, 2,581 new confirmed or probable COVID-19 cases were reported Monday. The 14-day moving average of new cases has increased to more than 2,768 per day. Two weeks earlier, Jan. 18, the average was about 1,542.
The daily case numbers reported in recent weeks do not include at-home "rapid test" results, people who may have COVID but have not been tested, and more than 42,000 positive lab tests still pending review and follow-up in Idaho's seven public health districts.
Those who attended Tuesday's briefing from the Department of Health and Welfare included Jeppesen, administrator for the Division of Public Health Elke Shaw-Tulloch, Dr. Hahn, deputy state epidemiologist Dr. Kathryn Turner, chief of the Idaho Bureau of Laborites Dr. Christopher Ball and manager of the Idaho Immunization Program Sarah Leeds.
The entire Idaho Department of Health and Welfare COVID-19 media briefing for Feb. 1 can be viewed below.
At KTVB, we’re focusing our news coverage on the facts and not the fear around the virus. To see our full coverage, visit our coronavirus section, here: www.ktvb.com/coronavirus.
Facts not fear: More on coronavirus
See our latest updates in our YouTube playlist: