North Idaho COVID-19 cases stay at 39

Panhandle Health District announced Saturday that there were no new COVID-19 cases North Idaho.

Thirty-seven of the cases are in Kootenai County and two in Bonner County. The health district also reported the eight of the region’s novel coronavirus cases are no longer being monitored. PHD officials said that health officials will not use the term “recovered” because it could be “misleading as we don’t know if a person can contract COVID-19 more than once,” they said on the district’s website.

Instead, the health district is using the phrase “no longer monitoring” to indicate that when an individual has stayed home for the recommended period of time, has not had a fever for at least 72 hours, and other symptoms have improved. In addition, the phrase also indicates that at least 7 days have passed since the individual’s symptoms first appeared.

Details on new cases will be posted on the PHD website — panhandlehealthdistrict.org/covid-19 — in real time. PHD will make a daily announcement if there are confirmed cases within the Panhandle at noon, 7 days a week.

The Panhandle area includes the five northern counties — Kootenai, Shoshone, Benewah, Bonner, and Boundary.

People ill with coronavirus in other states and countries have reported mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. If community members have these symptoms and are concerned, they should call PHD’s call center at 1-877-415-5225 or their provider. PHD will provide an over-the-phone assessment to determine if someone should be tested. Please call, do not come into PHD or your provider’s office. Tested individuals must stay home until test results are received. If the test is positive, all household members must self-isolate at home for a recommended period of time.

Individuals may also call the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare’s COVID-19 hotline at 1-888-330-3010. They can provide answers to the following:

• General COVID-19 Information

• Essential businesses

• Unemployment & food stamps

• Mental health

• Childcare

• Small business loans