The Panhandle Health District (PHD) and Kootenai Health have confirmed three additional confirmed cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Kootenai County, bringing the total number of cases to six in the panhandle area. Details on the new cases are listed below.

The Panhandle area includes the five northern counties (Kootenai, Shoshone, Benewah, Bonner, and Boundary).

Case 4: Female under the age of 18 from Kootenai County. She is self-isolating at home. Contact tracing is ongoing.

Case 5: Male in his 30s from Kootenai County. The individual has been self-isolating at home. Contact tracing is ongoing.

Case 6: Female in her 30s from Kootenai County. She is currently self-isolating at home. Contact tracing is ongoing.

In the United States, there have been 10,442 cases and 150 deaths as of March 19, 2020.

Epidemiologists with PHD are working to investigate cases of possible contact.All household members of confirmed cases will be 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 leaders, schools, emergency management, healthcare providers, and our community at large to help prevent the spread of this virus.

People ill with this 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 they become severe, 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.

CDC does not generally issue advisories or restrictions for travel within the United States. However, cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have been reported in many states, and some areas are experiencing community spread of the disease. Crowded travel settings, like airports, may increase chances of getting COVID-19, if there are other travelers with coronavirus infection. There are several things you should consider when deciding whether it is safe for you to travel. Check the CDC’s guidance on things to consider prior to travel.

For additional travel guidance and advisories, check here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html