COVID-19 not gone

COEUR d'ALENE — The COVID-19 positivity rate in the region has reached its highest point in more than four months.

According to the latest data released Thursday on the state's COVID-19 Dashboard, Kootenai County's COVID-19 positivity rate climbed to 17.5% based on 776 PCR tests for the date ending June 25. It had reached a low of 0.9% on March 19. In Bonner County, the COVID-19 positivity rate was 13.1% based on 223 PCR tests for that time period. It had reached a low of 0.5% for the week ending April 2.

The Panhandle Health District's positivity rate rose to 16% based on 1,117 PCR tests. It was 1.4% on March 19.

The state's coronavirus positivity rate reached 12.1% based on 13,705 PCR tests, the highest in nearly four months.

The health district reported 305 new COVID-19 cases this week, and three more deaths in the last week attributed to the virus. Total deaths attributed to COVID-19 in the PHD were eight in June and now total 971 overall.

Ninety percent of COVID-19-related deaths in the PHD were people over the age of 60.

Statewide hospitalizations remained steady, with 124 suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients for the week ending June 24.

Kootenai County's fully vaccinated rate of those 5 and over stands at 45%, well under the state's fully vaccinate rate of 71%.

Health officials continue to emphasize social distancing, mask wearing and vaccinations as ways to slow the spread of the virus.