Boundary County counts 6 more COVID-19 cases
(Image courtesy PANHANDLE HEALTH DISTRICT) Panhandle Health District reported 56 new COVID-19 cases in the Idaho Panhandle. None of the new cases were reported in Boundary County, leaving the community as the only one in the five northern counties without an active confirmed case.
BONNERS FERRY — Boundary County has been notified of six more cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of active cases now in the county to 13. Panhandle Health District is working to confirm those cases and will begin contact tracing and case investigation, Andrew O’Neel, Boundary County Emergency Management director, said.
Boundary County residents confirmed to have the virus are mostly in their 30s and 40s, though one patient is reportedly a young child and another gentleman is 76 years old, O’Neel said.
Symptoms have been fairly mild so far in Boundary County and some patients’ symptoms resemble those of allergies such as a runny nose, mild headache, and sore throat, he said. Symptoms can be much more severe and even life-threatening for our most vulnerable residents, such as people with pre-existing health conditions and senior citizens.
Panhandle Health District is working over the weekend to investigate each new case and traces each patient’s recent close social contacts in an attempt to notify them of potential exposure to the virus, the BCEMS director said. Close contacts are considered to be anyone who was closer than 6 feet for 10 minutes or more.
Close contacts to a confirmed-positive patient are advised to self-isolate at home for five to eight days from the date of the contact before they get tested for COVID-19. The waiting period reduces the chances of the COVID-19 test resulting in a false-negative. If symptoms develop, they are advised to get tested as soon as possible. If a resident thinks they might have COVID-19 they should not leave their home except to seek medical attention.
“We cannot stop the spread of COVID-19 in Boundary County, but we can take measures to keep the spread to a manageable level so that it does not overwhelm our healthcare system or spread it to the most vulnerable members of our community,” O’Neel said.
The most useful measures the communtiy can take to slow the spread are to maintain a 6-foot distance from people who are not in the same household, and to wear a face covering while in public.
“Some recent studies and anecdotal evidence in the healthcare community indicate that wearing a face covering reduces the chances of transmitting the virus,” O’Neel said.
If residents do currently have or develop symptoms of any illness, O’Neel said they should stay at home. If symptoms get worse and require medical attention, residents should consult their primary medical care provider who can then decide whether a COVID-19 test is needed and will arrange for the test as appropriate, he added.
Panhandle Health District provides over-the-phone assessments and answers questions on their COVID-19 Hotline at 1-877-415-5225. Panhandle Health District will only provide a COVID-19 test order for someone who does not have a primary care provider and does not have medical insurance.