Clearwater County records two more COVID-19 related deaths

by Nancy C. Butler

Clearwater County recorded two more deaths during the last week as the number of COVID-19 cases rose to 744.

The two newest deaths were men, one in their 70s and one in their 90s. Both deaths were reported on the Public Health-Idaho North Central District website Monday, Dec. 14.

Clearwater Health and Rehabilitation of Cascadia had a total of 31 residents and staff either positive or probable as of Friday, Dec. 18. Of those, their first death from the virus was recorded during the last week, according to figures on the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare's long term care facilities COVID-19 statistics.

Brookside Landing had one COVID-19 death as of Dec. 11 and there have not been any additional recorded since then. They have had 15 additional cases this week making their total for residents and staff 22, according to IDHW's website.

As of Friday, Dec. 18, Clearwater County had 395 recovered cases, 384 open cases and a total of 5 deaths. Average daily case rates dropped from 18.71 to 7.00 and the region's average daily hospitalizations went from 15.29 to 14.86 this week, according to PH-INCD.

Males accounted for 464 cases and females 280. The number of males is greatly influenced by the positive cases among inmates at the Idaho Correctional Institution-Orofino which was at 241 on Dec. 10 with 135 recovered, according to Warden Terema Carlin.