COVID-19 case count holds at 70
SANDPOINT — The confirmed novel coronavirus case count in North Idaho held steady at 70 cases, the Panhandle Health District said on Wednesday.
There are 66 cases in Kootenai County and four in Bonner County. The virus, which causes COVID-19, has not been detected in Boundary, Shoshone or Benewah counties, according to the health district.
The health district said 67 people are no longer being monitored for the virus, which has led to seven hospitalizations in the Panhandle.
The Idaho Department of Health & Welfare, meanwhile, reported there were 30 new confirmed or probable cases of coronavirus, lifting the statewide total to 2,506 cases. The virus is blamed for 77 deaths in the state.
The virus is present in all seven of the state’s health district and 33 of the state’s 44 counties, according to Health & Welfare. Five counties — Ada, Blaine, Canyon, Jerome and Twin Falls — have triple-digit case loads. Ada has the most confirmed and probable cases — 792 — and the most fatalities — 23.
Ada County’s case rate — the number of cases per 100,000 population — is 168.5. Blaine County, which has 509 cases, has the state’s highest case rate — 2,252.1, according to Health & Welfare statistics.
Bonner County’s case rate is 8.9, Health & Welfare said.
The Northeast Tri-County Health District in Washington state reported on Wednesday that there were no new cases of the virus. Stevens County has 10 cases, while Pend Oreille and Ferry counties have two cases and one case, respectively.
The health district said the tenth positive cases in Stevens County raised questions about its progression to Stage 3 of reopening the economy. Testing capacity, healthcare system readiness, protection of vulnerable populations and disease activity are being evaluated.
“Using these metrics, we are still within acceptable levels to request advancement to Phase 3 once we have completed our minimum of three weeks. If we are unable to limit exposure and prevent sustained community spread with additional cases, this could potentially pause our advancement to Phase 3,” the health district said in a news release.
The state of Montana reported seven new confirmed cases of coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 478 cases. There are seven cases in Lincoln County and no cases in Sanders County, according to the Montana Department of Public Health.
Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.