N. Idaho has 30 cases, most in Kootenai County

SANDPOINT — The good news? As of Monday afternoon, only one person in Bonner County was confirmed as having novel coronavirus.

According to Bonner County Emergency Management’s emergency operation center, another three county residents are waiting for test results out of the county’s 94 patients tested for COVID-19.

Idaho has 325 confirmed cases of the virus in the state, with 6 deaths connected to COVID-19.

Panhandle Health District and Kootenai Health confirmed two additional cases of novel coronavirus on Monday, bringing the total number of cases 30 in the Panhandle area with all but one in Kootenai County.

“We have community transmission in Kootenai County,” Katherine Hoyer, PHD public information officer, said. “Some of the confirmed cases are not connected to travel or contact with a confirmed case. We continue to urge the public to adhere to the stay-home order made by Governor Little. We know practicing social distancing strategies can slow the spread of this virus, but we need everyone to do their part.”

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

An early rumor that Boundary County had its first confirmed case turned out to be that, a rumor, according to Katherine Hoyer, public information officer for the Panhandle Health District.

“A health district may enter patient data to the state system — like an address a person provided — but then through further investigation discover the person does not actually reside at that address thus needing us to count them as a case in the actual county they reside and not the address they initially provided,” Hoyer said.

In the United States, there have been 122,653 cases and 2,112 deaths as of March 29, 2020 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If you begin to show symptoms associated with COVID-19 — cough, fever, tiredness, and difficulty breathing — officials with the Kootenai County Office of Emergency Management said it is critical to ensure individuals quarantine themselves. If they are tested for COVID-19, it is critical to self-isolate until test results are received.

“The importance of self-isolating cannot be stressed enough,” Sheriff Ben Wolfinger and Chief Chris Way, the agency’s unified commanders, said in a press release. “However, when the symptoms subside you need to continue to self-isolate for an additional 72 hours before removing yourself from isolation.”

Due to the increasing threat of community transmission of the novel coronavirus, the agency encouraged the public to keep a daily journal logging places visited and people contacted.

“In the event of a positive test, this information is vital in limiting the spread of COVID-19,” officials said in a press release.

Epidemiologists use the information to trace potential exposures. Contact can then be made to find out if proper protocols need to be enacted, including isolation precautions and testing for the virus.

A journal entry should include the date, the places visited, such as the grocery store, and include specific locations, names and times; as well as the people visited in person, such as a parent or family member.

Across the border, the Northeast Tri County Health District was notified Monday of the fourth positive COVID- 19 test for Stevens County. The individual who tested positive is not hospitalized and is isolating themselves at home. To protect the privacy of those testing positive, information that may lead to a person’s identity being revealed will not be disclosed.

“As more COVID-19 cases increase in our area, we are relying on the public to take action,” NETCHD officials said in a press release. “This includes staying home and separating yourself from others, especially if you have been tested for COVID-19 and are awaiting test results, or if you were identified as a close contact of a confirmed positive COVID-19 case.”

In the three-county area of northeastern Washington, there have been 62 negative tests and 1 positive case in Ferry County, 102 negative tests and no positive cases in Pend Oreille County, and four positive cases and 216 negative tests results in Stevens County. Within Washington state, there have been a total of 5,380 cases of COVID-19 and 202 deaths.

Caroline Lobsinger can be reached by email at clobsinger@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @CarolDailyBee.