PHD: 55 new COVID-19 cases
This illustration provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in January 2020 shows the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV). This virus was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention via AP)
SANDPOINT — The Panhandle Health District said 55 new confirmed or probable cases of novel coronavirus emerged on Wednesday, including one new case in Bonner County and an additional fatality in Kootenai County.
The new cases bring the number of the cases in the five northern counties to 1,697, 1,608 of which have been confirmed through laboratory analysis. Kootenai County has 1,415 cases, 1,404 of which are lab-confirmed. There are 726 active cases in Kootenai County, the health district said.
Bonner County has 139 cases, 133 of which are lab-confirmed. There are 69 active cases in Bonner County, according to PHD.
All 56 of Shoshone County cases are lab-confirmed, as are all 33 of Boundary County’s cases. The health district said 42 of the Shoshone County cases are active, while Boundary County has 27 active cases. Benewah County has a total of 39 lab-confirmed cases, but only nine of the cases are active.
There are an additional 15 cases involving Panhandle residents whose primary county of residency is undetermined. Five of those cases are active, the health district said.
The health district said 819 people are no longer being monitored for the virus, which causes COVID-19. The virus has caused 80 hospitalizations in the Panhandle since the outbreak began and 35 people remain hospitalized.
There have been nine deaths, all of which occurred in Kootenai County.
The Idaho Department of Health & Welfare reported 457 new confirmed or probable cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, bringing the statewide total to 19,679 cases. The virus is attributed to 173 deaths across the state.
The Northeast Tri-County Health District in Washington state reported 10 new confirmed cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, all of which turned up in Stevens County. Stevens County has 78 cases, while Pend Oreille County has 34 cases, according to the health district. Ferry County has 11 cases. The virus is blamed for one death in Stevens County.
The Montana State Department of Public Health reported 201 new confirmed cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, elevating the statewide total to 3,676 cases. Lincoln County has 20 cases, while Sanders County has six cases. The virus has claimed 54 lives in the Big Sky state, according to the department.
Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.