COVID-19 case numbers climbing in Clearwater County, North Central Idaho

by Nancy C. Butler

COVID-19 case numbers are climbing again in Clearwater County and North Central Idaho, both confirmed and probable cases, according to statistics on Public Health-Idaho North Central District's website.

Between Aug. 2 and. 13, Clearwater County's COVID-19 case numbers increased by 73, with another 15 Monday. Two deaths of men in their 70s were accounted for in Aug. 13 statistics. There have been a total of 16 deaths in the county. The county now has a total of 1,140 cases since the first one was reported June 25, 2020. The highest number of cases per day at 105 was reported Nov. 23, 2020, including and outbreak at Idaho Department of Correction-Orofino.

North Central Idaho had 577 new cases between Aug. 2 and 13. There were another 130 cases reported Monday. The largest numbers of total cases are in Nez Perce and Latah counties, 4,291 and 3,389 respectively.

Clearwater County's rate of vaccination for those 12 years-old and older is 36.79 percent and PH-INCD has a rate of 42.63 percent. The highest percentage of vaccinations in an Idaho county is 88.32 in Blaine County and lowest is 28.42 percent in Idaho County.

Statewide case numbers for cases per day did drop between Friday at 780 to Monday at 544. Update, (8-17-21) the numbers on the state website changed to 813 for Monday, instead of 544.

For more information about the novel coronavirus, please visit www.idahopublichealth.com or https://coronavirus.idaho.gov/ or call the Public Health Hotline at 1-866-736-6632.