PHD: 27 new COVID-19 cases
SANDPOINT — The Panhandle Health District reported on Thursday that 27 new confirmed or probable cases of novel coronavirus were tallied, including three new infections in Bonner County.
The new cases push the total number of cases in the Panhandle to 2,547, 2,526 of which were confirmed through laboratory analysis. The virus, which causes COVID-19, is blamed for 23 deaths in Kootenai County, nine deaths in Shoshone County and one death in Benewah County, according to PHD.
The three new infections in Bonner County bring the total number of cases to 195, 189 of which are lab-confirmed. There are 22 active cases of coronavirus in Bonner County, the district said.
Kootenai County saw 16 new cases, bringing that county’s total number of cases to 2,030 since the pandemic began. The health district said 2,016 of the cases are lab-confirmed and 383 of the cases are active.
Boundary County did not see any new cases on Thursday. The health district said there 42 cases in Boundary County, all of which are lab-confirmed. There are 12 active cases in Boundary County, according to the health district.
Shoshone County picked up seven new cases on Thursday, bringing the county’s total to 179 cases, all but one of which is lab-confirmed. There are 86 active cases in Shoshone County, the health district said.
Benewah County accrued two new cases on Thursday, lifting the total number of cases to 83, all of which are lab-confirmed. There are 23 active cases in Benewah County, the district said.
One of the Panhandle cases involving people whose primary county of residency was scratched off the list on Thursday, reducing the total number of cases to 18, all of which are lab-confirmed. The district said there are two active cases in the undetermined residency category.
The health district said the virus has caused 146 hospitalizations over the course of the pandemic and 16 people remain hospitalized. The district said 2,019 cases are closed, meaning infected persons are no longer being monitored, have refused monitoring or have died.
The Idaho Department of Health & Welfare said 424 confirmed or probable cases of the virus were added on Thursday, elevating the statewide total to 29,120 cases. The department said 298 Idahoans have died because of the virus.
The Northeast Tri-County Health District in Washington state reported six new cases on Thursday. Three involve Pend Oreille County residents and three involve Stevens County residents, bringing the regional total to 195 confirmed cases. Pend Oreille County, which added 14 cases in the last 14 days, has had 52 confirmed cases, while Stevens County has had 119 cases and one fatality. Ferry County has 24 confirmed cases, according to NETCHD.
Eight people in the tri-county area remain hospitalized, NETCHD said.
The Montana State Department of Public Health reported 117 new confirmed cases of coronavirus on Thursday, bringing the statewide total to 6,072 cases and 89 deaths. Six confirmed cases emerged in Sanders County, which has seen a total of 26 confirmed cases. The state said 17 of Sanders County’s cases are active.
State officials in Montana said Lincoln County has had 79 cases since the outbreak began, but only three of the cases are active.
Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.