The first COVID-19 case in Idaho was reported in March of 2020. Since that time the state has had spikes and declines but even after the wave of the omicron variant, cases in many Idaho counties had ben falling.

However cases are on the rise in several Idaho counties, including those in the Southeastern Idaho Public Health District. Cases in Southeast Idaho counties are creeping up toward the levels reported in February earlier this year.

According to SIPH’s most recent weekly report, there were 154 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 for the week of June 14 through June 20. Of the new cases, 96 occurred in Bannock County, 26 occurred in Bingham County, 21 occurred in Franklin County, Bear Lake County had four cases, Caribou County had three cases, Power County had two cases and Butte and Oneida counties each reported one new case.

This brings the total of confirmed and probable cases to 38,467 in Southeast Idaho. Out of the 38,467 cases, 37,790 have recovered from COVID-19.

No one died of COVID between June 14 and June 20 in Southeast Idaho, public health officials said.

According to the Central District Health’s weekly report, as of Thursday when lab testing data was last updated, Ada, Canyon, Kootenai, Lewis, Elmore and Valley counties have seen cases rising.

The rise in cases is spurring new recommendations for precautions and in at least one instance, a cancellation of a much looked forward to event. The Idaho Shakespeare Festival sent a letter to ticket holders for its first major show of the year breaking the news.

“Due to breakthrough cases within our company, we will be cancelling the performances of ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’’ from Friday June 17 (preview), through Friday June 24,” the letter stated. “As a result, the first performance of the production’s run will be Saturday, June 25.”

Ada, Elmore, Valley and Lewis counties are now listed as being in the “high community” level. In Ada County there were 798 cases reported. Most other counties in southwest Idaho, including Canyon County, are are on “medium” alert.

Most of these cases in Idaho are at the community level and “community spread.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website states that community spread means that people in a certain area have been infected with the virus and some aren’t sure where they contracted it.

What does the rising number of cases mean for the counties and the state? The CDC recommends the following for communities with “high” COVID numbers: Wear a mask indoors in public, stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and get tested if you have symptoms. Additional precautions may be needed for people at high risk for severe illness.

Dr. David Pate, retired president and CEO of St. Luke’s, said that the behavior of this virus is one where we get a surge, get a breather, and then a new variant emerges.

“The pattern of these variants is that almost each one is more transmissible — and with omicron it has the most immune evasion we have seen,” Pate said. “What’s happening is that people are still susceptible and getting infected. The variants we saw last year gave some immunity protection but these new variants like omicron do not generate a strong immune response. So it’s more transmissible with fewer protections.”

Pate also said that one of the problems is that many people aren’t fully vaccinated.

“With omicron you need two shots and a booster,” Pate said. “There are not enough people vaxxed, not enough people fully vaxxed and still a large amount of people that can’t be vaccinated.”

He recommends that, because it occurs in waves, people should alter their behavior.

“Avoid large groups, wear a high-quality mask, properly, indoors, and stay up to date on vaccines,” Pate said. “The good news is the go-ahead on vaccines for young kids and that will be another step in protecting ourselves against the virus.”

A spokesperson with St. Luke’s replied to questions from Boise Weekly and the Idaho Press, saying that the healthcare provider continues to see positive COVID cases continue trending upward, “both with regard to people hospitalized with COVID-19 and percent positivity.”

The spokesperson added, however, that operations at the hospital are not currently constrained.

Despite the continuing prevalence of COVID-19, the virus is no longer at the forefront of peoples’ minds, said Bradley Bigford of Table Rock Mobile Medicine.

“They all say similar things like ‘oh, I thought it was a springtime cold or I thought it was allergies, and then I took a test,’” Bigford said. “I hear that very frequently.”

People also tend to assume young kids are unlikely to catch the virus, but patients coming in have proven otherwise, Bigford said.

“It’s all over the board and COVID doesn’t discriminate with age,” he said.

With current rates, Bigford is expecting to see more patients in the coming weeks.

For more information on COVID-19, people can go to the Central District Health website at cdh.idaho.gov, or the CDC website at cdc.gov.

The Idaho State Journal contributed to the report.