North Idaho COVID-19 cases reach 60
COEUR d’ALENE — The Panhandle Health District (PHD) announced Wednesday that the total number of cases of COVID-19 in the Panhandle area is at 60. 56 of the cases are in Kootenai County and four are in Bonner County.
Shoshone, Benewah, and Boundary counties still report zero confirmed cases.
Details on new cases will be posted on the PHD website page in real time: www.panhandlehealthdistrict.org/covid-19/.
Of the total number of confirmed cases, PHD is no longer monitoring 37 individuals. A person is no longer monitored when they have stayed home for the recommended period of time, has not had a fever for at least 72 hours (that is three full days of no fever without the use medicine that reduces fevers), has had other symptoms improve (for example, when a cough or shortness of breath have improved), and at least 7 days have passed since symptoms first appeared.
Hospitalizations shown on the PHD website are a tally of total hospitalizations of confirmed cases. This does not mean these patients are currently hospitalized, only that they were hospitalized for COVID-19 and are also confirmed positive with COVID-19.
PHD will make a daily announcement if there are confirmed cases within the Panhandle at noon, seven days a week.
Community transmission in Kootenai County has been confirmed. This means that some of the confirmed cases are not connected to travel or contact with a confirmed case. PHD continues to urge the public to adhere to the stay-home order made by Governor Little and the 30 day slow-the-spread guidelines provided by the Federal government.
“We know practicing social distancing strategies can slow the spread of this virus,” PHD’s spokesperson Katherine Hoyer said, “but we need everyone to do their part.”
Epidemiologists with PHD are working to investigate cases of possible contact. All household members of confirmed cases have been asked to self-isolate at home for a prescribed period of time. If other people are found to have been exposed, health officials will provide guidance to these individuals and they will be asked to self-monitor for the development of symptoms.
PHD will continue to monitor the situation closely and are working with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, city and county leaders, schools, emergency management, healthcare providers, and our community at large to help prevent the spread of this virus.
People ill with coronavirus in other states and countries have reported mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, cough, and difficulty breathing.
If community members have these symptoms and are concerned, they should call PHD’s call center at 1-877-415-5225 or their provider. PHD will provide an over-the-phone assessment to determine if someone should be tested. Please call, do not come into PHD or your provider’s office.
Call center’s hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Voicemails will be checked each weekday morning and on Saturdays at 1 p.m. PHD has adjusted the hours because of the decrease in call volume. If they begin to receive an increase, the hours will adjust accordingly.
Tested individuals must stay home until test results are received. If the test is positive, all household members must self-isolate at home for a recommended period of time.
Individuals may also call the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare’s COVID-19 hotline at 1-888-330-3010. They can provide answers to the following:
• General COVID-19 Information
• Essential Businesses
• Unemployment and Food Stamps
• Mental Health
• Childcare
• Small Business loans