On Thursday, the statewide test positivity rate climbed to a record-breaking 34.1 percent, meaning that one in every three COVID tests came back positive last week. Public health officials’ goal is to keep that positivity rate below 5 percent.

Eastern Idaho Public Health District had the highest infection rate this week, coming in at 44.7 percent. In Madison County, the positivity rate exceeded 58 percent.

On Tuesday, Department of Health and Welfare Director Dave Jeppesen said he believes it’s likely that hospitals may be forced back into crisis standards of care soon due to increasing numbers of healthcare workers out of work due to illness. Hospitalizations also increased this week.

The state reports there are at least 33,500 positive tests backlogged in the public health districts. As of Thursday, 4,317 Idahoans had died of COVID-19.