Local health districts announce 7 COVID-19 deaths Monday
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IDAHO FALLS — COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and the death toll associated with the virus are on the rise statewide, and eastern Idaho continues to feel the effects of the ongoing global pandemic.
On Monday, the local health districts reported a total of seven deaths. Eastern Idaho Public Health had four deaths and Southeastern Idaho Public Health confirmed three deaths of individuals ranging in age between their 40s and 80s.
EIPH had 200 new cases of COVID-19 Monday bringing the total of confirmed and probable cases to 12,666. There have been 77 deaths and there are currently 948 active cases. So far, 11,641 people have recovered from the virus.
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A case is considered probable if a person has not been tested, or a test is pending, and the person has all the symptoms of COVID-19, has come into direct contact with an infected person, and developed symptoms within the expected timeframe.
EIPH was also notified Friday by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare that one of the COVID deaths that was reported in October had a change on the death certificate, as the death was determined to not be from COVID-19. It was a male in his 80s from Bonneville County.
On Monday, SIPH tallied 120 new COVID-19 cases for a total of 7,393 cases, including confirmed and probable. The district has had 63 deaths with 1,033 active cases remaining and 6,360 people who have recovered.
The total COVID-19 death toll in eastern Idaho is 140.
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Statewide, IDHW reports 83,344 total cases with 35,530 people estimated to have recovered and 763 deaths. More than half of the deaths have been in people 80 years old and older.
Despite the growing number of deaths, recoveries still far exceed those that die. COVID-19 has an extremely high recovery rate and the vast majority of people who catch the virus will recover at home with no problems.
IDHW reminds Idahoans to help slow the spread of COVID-19:
- Keep at least six feet between you and others in public
- Wear face coverings in public places
- Stay home if you are sick
- Wash your hands often
- Cover coughs and sneezes
- Disinfect surfaces and objects regularly
New COVID-19 treatment
Local hospitals such as Madison Memorial Hospital and Idaho Falls Community Hospital announced that they are offering a new outpatient COVID-19 antibody treatment known as Bamlanivimab. The purpose of Bamlanivimab is to help fight COVID-19 and prevent hospitalizations. Bamlanivimab is intended for high-risk patients — not already hospitalized — at the onset of COVID-19 symptoms.
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“This new drug marks the first time since the pandemic started that our community has had an outpatient treatment available,” IFCH Chief Operations Officer Casey Jackman stated in the hospital’s news release. “This is a step in the right direction and, along with the help of the community, we hope it will reduce hospitalizations related to COVID-19.”
IFCH started treating patients with Bamlanivimab this past Friday and beginning Tuesday, Madison Memorial will do the same.
For more COVID-19 news, and to view hospital data, click here.