COVID-19 cases again see increase

SANDPOINT — For the second day in a row, North Idaho has recorded the highest number of new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus, according to the Panhandle Health District.

The public health agency reported on Friday that the region picked up 81 new cases of the virus, which causes COVID-19.

The new cases, two of which emerged in Bonner County and three in Boundary County, brings the total number of cases to 770 in the five northern counties. Kootenai County has tallied 663 cases and one fatality since the pandemic began in March, while Bonner County has logged 59. Benewah and Boundary counties have counted 22 and five cases, respectively. Shoshone has eight confirmed cases, the health district said.

There are another 13 cases which cropped up during the pandemic which involve people whose primary county of residency is undetermined.

All four of Boundary County’s cases remain active, PHD said.

“Our four neighbors confirmed to have the virus so far are fortunately all experiencing mild symptoms and are self-isolating along with their families at home,” Andrew O’Neel, Boundary County Emergency Management director, said.

As there is a steady increase in cases across the country, in Idaho, and within Boundary County, O’Neel said many residents may feel a growing sense of anxiety and concern about what to do. Along with practicing good personal hygiene, the best actions that can be taken to slow the spread in are to social distance and wear a mask.

O’Neel said he recently spoke with a public health official who has been doing contact tracing in Kootenai County for many weeks now, calling those who have contracted COVID-19 to try to determine how they became infected and find out who else might have been exposed so they can be notified.

“After dozens of contact investigations, he discovered two primary factors that nearly always predicted whether a person who came into contact with a COVID-19 case would become ill themselves,” O’Neel said. “In case after case, he saw that people who kept their distance and wore masks did not get ill, while those who had close contact and did not wear a mask almost always became sick.

“Granted, this is anecdotal and is only one official’s observation, but it is a strong validation of what we have been advised to do all along: stay at least 6 feet away from anyone who is not in your household and wear a face covering in public.”

The Idaho Department of Health & Welfare said on Friday there were 500 new confirmed or probable cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases accrued during the pandemic to 9,928. The death toll from the virus stands at 101, according to Health & Welfare.

Blaine County has seen the most cases - 2,242 - while Cassia, Minidoka and Jerome counties have edged over the 1,000-case mark, statistics kept by the state indicate.

Washington state’s Northeast Tri-County Health District reported on Thursday three new confirmed cases and said four more were tallied in the overnight hours, bringing the number of new cases to seven and the total number of cases to 37.

Two new cases surfaced in Ferry County, including a person from outside the area who was visiting people near Republic and a Colville Confederated Tribe member, the health district said. Another case emerged involving a resident near Newport. The other four cases involved individuals in the Kettle Falls and Colville areas, according NETCHD.

All told, there are 70 people in isolation/quarantine across the tri-county area, NETCHD said.

The Montana State Department of Public Health reported 127 new confirmed cases on Friday, lifting the statewide total to 1,593 cases. Lincoln County has 12 new cases and Sanders County has none, the state said.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.