Five new local COVID-19 cases

This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses.
(Image courtesy CDC)

| April 5, 2020 12:29 PM

After no new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Kootenai County on Saturday, five new cases were confirmed Sunday, according to Panhandle Health District.

That brings the total in Kootenai County to 42. Bonner County has two confirmed cases, while the other three counties in Panhandle’s region - Boundary, Benewah and Shoshone - have yet to report a single confirmed case.

As of noon Sunday, Panhandle reported that none of the cases in North Idaho has required hospitalization. Of the 44 total, 11 are no longer being monitored, the health district said.

“We won’t use the term ‘recovered’ because that could be misleading as we don’t know if a person can contract COVID-19 more than once,” the district said. “We prefer to use the term ‘no longer monitoring.’ A person is no longer being monitored when they have stayed home for our recommended period of time AND have not had a fever for at least 72 hours (that is three full days of no fever without the use medicine that reduces fevers) AND other symptoms have improved (for example, when your cough or shortness of breath have improved) AND at least 7 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared.”

Here’s a look at the Panhandle residents with COVID-19 by age group:

18 and under: 5

19 to 49: 18

≥50: 21

And here’s a look at Panhandle residents with COVID-19 by sex:

Female: 18

Male: 26