PHD: 15 new infections in Panhandle
SANDPOINT — The Panhandle Health District reported 15 new cases of novel coronavirus on Friday, including three new infections in Bonner County.
The new cases bring the total number of cases in the five northern counties to 2,711, 2,687 of which are confirmed through lab analysis. The district said 2,362 of the cases are closed, which pertains to residents who are no longer being monitored, have refused monitoring or have died.
The new cases in Bonner County bring the total number to 220, 204 of which are lab confirmed, according to the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare. There are 23 active cases in Bonner County, according to PHD.
Kootenai County added 11 new cases of the virus on Friday, the health district said. There have been 2,146 confirmed cases in Kootenai County since the pandemic began and Health & Welfare said all of those cases are lab confirmed. The district said 228 of the cases remain active.
The virus, which causes COVID-19, is blamed for 29 deaths in Kootenai County, 14 deaths in Shoshone County. The virus has claimed one life in Boundary County and one life in Benewah County, according to Health & Welfare.
Boundary County added no new cases on Friday, the district said. The county has had 43 cases, five of which are active.
Shoshone County added no new cases and has seen 194 cases, 193 of which are lab confirmed, over the course of the pandemic and 67 cases there remain active. Benewah County also added no new cases and has had 107 cases since the outbreak began. Twenty-six of the cases in Benewah County remain active.
The health district reported one new case involving a person whose primary county of residency is undetermined.
Health & Welfare reported 262 new probable or confirmed infections on Friday, bringing the statewide total to 31,384. The department said 353 deaths across the state have occurred since the pandemic began.
The Northeast Tri-County Health District in Washington state reported no confirmed cases of the virus in Pend Oreille, Stevens or Ferry counties. There are a total of 202 confirmed cases, with 54 in Pend Oreille County, 123 in Stevens County and 25 cases in Ferry County. The district said eight of Pend Oreille County's cases emerged over the last 14 days and six Pend Oreille County residents are hospitalized because of the virus.
The Montana State Department of Public Health tallied 134 new confirmed cases, bringing the statewide total to 7,063 cases and 100 fatalities.
Lincoln County added two new cases on Friday, bringing that county's total to 89 cases, eight of which are active, according to the state. Sanders County added no new cases on Friday and has seen 31 cases over the course of the pandemic. Ten of the Sanders County cases are active, the state said.
Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.