SANDPOINT — No new cases of novel coronavirus emerged in North Idaho on Thursday, but the Panhandle Health District said community transmission of the disease has been identified in Bonner County.

Community spread of the virus had already been determined in Kootenai and Benewah counties, according to the health district.

Community transmission means people have been infected with the virus in an area, including some who are not sure how or where they became infected, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. The health district is urging Panhandle residents to assume the virus could be anywhere in the community and surrounding counties.

There are 97 confirmed cases of the virus, which causes COVID-19, in the Panhandle. Kootenai County has 78 cases, while Bonner and Benewah counties have five cases and seven cases, respectively.

There are seven cases in which the infected person’s primary county of residence is undetermined, according to the health district.

The virus has not been detected in Boundary or Shoshone counties, the health district said.

The virus caused 10 hospitalizations in the three affected counties and 69 people are no longer being monitored by public health officials. The health district said there are 28 active cases of coronavirus in the Panhandle.

The Coeur d’Alene Tribe advised the health district that there are 27 cases associated with its reservation.

“We realize this does not match our case count for Benewah county. We count cases by an individual’s primary county of residence, so the cases the tribe has announced aren’t necessarily all primary residents of Benewah County.

The health district said contact tracing is voluntary and the information provided may be incomplete, incorrect or not provided at all.

“Those experiencing homelessness or are in a transient living situation are other possible reasons it may take longer to determine a primary county of residence,” the health district said.

The Idaho Department of Health & Welfare reported on Thursday that there were 57 new confirmed or probable cases of coronavirus, elevating the statewide total to 3,054 cases. Health & Welfare said the virus is responsible for 83 deaths in the state.

Idaho Gov. Brad Little will host a press conference related to unemployment and Idaho’s economy today 11 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time.

No new cases of the virus turned up in Pend Oreille, Stevens or Ferry counties on Thursday, according to the Northeast Tri-County Health District. Stevens County has 13 cases, Pend Oreille County has three cases and Ferry County has one case which was ultimately fatal.

The three counties’ request to move into Stage 3 of Washington’s phased reopening plan is still pending.

The state of Montana said on Thursday that it had 14 new confirmed cases of the virus, resulting in a statewide total of 539 cases. However, none of the new cases emerged in counties which abut the Panhandle Lincoln County has seven cases, while Sanders County has none, 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.