PHD: School districts in ‘mild to moderate’ risk

76 new coronavirus cases reported on Wednesday

North Idaho school districts are in the “Mild to Moderate Community Transmission” category, according to the Panhandle Health District on Wednesday.

PHD has started its weekly assessment and reporting of categories of community spread for use by school districts in Kootenai, Bonner, Benewah, Boundary, and Shoshone counties in decision-making processes and operations for COVID-19.

Kootenai, Benewah, Bonner, Boundary and Shoshone are all in category 2.

Category 1 is “No Community Transmission” and Category 3 is “Substantial Community Transmission.”

PHD reported 76 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday. That brings the total cases to 2,034, with 722 active cases and 1,312 closed cases. There are 31 coronavirus patients currently hospitalized, per PHD.

Kootenai County has 1,684 cases, Bonner has 171, Shoshone has 76, Benewah 49 and Boundary 37.

Health officials continue to call on people to wear masks, wash hands and maintain social distancing to help prevent the spread of the virus.