Panhandle COVID-19 delta variant cases increase

SANDPOINT — Due to an increase of COVID-19 cases caused by the Delta variant, Panhandle Health District officials are encouraging vaccination and supporting CDC guidance.

PHD covers Kootenai, Bonner, Boundary, Benewah, and Shoshone counties. COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the five counties mirroring both the state and national trends.

Previously PHD’s jurisdiction saw some of the lowest levels of COVID-19 in since last year, PHD officials said in a press release.

Case numbers and positive testing percentages have been steadily increasing each week since July. Positive testing ranges from 5.26 to 23.44 percent depending on the county. Percentage levels just above five-percent typically indicate that not enough testing is taking place in a community, said PHD.

Idaho Bureau of Laboratories reports an increase in the Delta variant across Idaho among clinical samples tested.

On Aug. 6, PHD received the sequencing results of clinical samples submitted for residents in our jurisdiction, said Katherine Hoyer, PHD public information officer.

Of those sequenced tests, 86% had the Delta variant.

“We can safely assume that there are much more variant cases circulating in our area that have not been sequenced due to constraints the state faces with available laboratories,” said Don Duffy, interim PHD director.

“Transmission [of Delta variant] is possible after only a few seconds of exposure for those non-vaccinated and transmission able to occur when someone is in the pre-symptomatic phase,” said Duffy.

Such variants will lead to many more people becoming ill and possibly suffer long-term impacts on their health. Even those that have chosen to get vaccinated, are susceptible to catching the Delta variant and may be asymptomatic carriers, said Duffy.

“In these circumstances, being vaccinated doesn’t just benefit you – it’s protecting those around you and their loved ones as well,” said Duffy.

PHD currently sits at 38% of those 12 years and older being fully vaccinated, leaving a large portion of the community vulnerable to COVID-19 and its variants. Children under the age of 12 are unable to be vaccinated and will soon be going back to school, PHD officials said.

Many measures throughout the community that were once in place like plexiglass at checkout stands, limited capacities, masking while indoors and even sanitization have relaxed in many cases or don’t exist, said PHD.

“The longer we wait to receive the vaccine, the greater opportunity we are allowing the virus to mutate into additional, and potentially more deadly, variants that could cause the current vaccine to be less effective,” said Duffy.

COVID-19 can also have long-term consequences. Some people are experiencing a range of new or ongoing symptoms that can last weeks or months after first being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. Unlike some of the other types of post-COVID conditions that only tend to occur in people who have had severe illness, these symptoms can happen to anyone who has had COVID-19, even if the illness was mild, or if they had no initial symptoms, PHD officials said.

“Although death from COVID-19 is the worst outcome, we have fellow Americans who may have ‘survived’ COVID, but are now suffering debilitating symptoms affecting their lives and livelihoods,” said Duffy.

As of August 17, the total cases for the Panhandle since the beginning of the pandemic, 27,936.

Daily case count for the Panhandle on August 17, was 227. Total COVID-19 related Deaths in the Panhandle since the beginning of the pandemic, 344.

Cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in the PHD jurisdiction and Idaho continue to be largely among those who are unvaccinated. According to data from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, in Idaho since May 15, 2021: 95.5 percent of COVID-19 cases are among those not fully vaccinated. 94.7 percent of people hospitalized for COVID-19 were not fully vaccinated 94.2 percent of people who died from COVID-19 were not fully vaccinated PHD provides recommendations to schools and school districts – it does not and cannot mandate or require schools to follow recommendations. The Idaho Department of Education, independent schools, and school boards make final decisions for schools in Idaho.

PHD officials said the health department will continue posting weekly community transmission levels for schools, businesses, and the community to remain aware of the pandemic situation in North Idaho.

If you have questions about COVID-19 in our area, call PHD’s COVID-19 hotline 877-415-5225.

Hotline hours of operation are Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1 p.m.-4 p.m.