PHD: 3 more died of virus

Case count rises to 2,349

COEUR d’ALENE — The deaths of three more people in the Panhandle Health District have been attributed to COVID-19.

The PHD said Wednesday that two of the people were over the age of 70 and the third was in their 60s. The total deaths in the PHD due to the virus is now at 24, with six of them women and 18 men. Twenty lived in Kootenai County, three in Shoshone County and one in Benewah County

There were 74 new cases reported, bringing the total of COVID-19 cases to 2,349 in the PHD, with 1,504 of those closed cases and 26 hospitalized.

Kootenai County now has 1,905 coronavirus cases, with 645 active cases. Bonner has 182 cases, Shoshone has 129, Benewah 67 and Boundary 38.

Nearly 1,000 cases are in the 18 to 39 age range, PHD said.

Meanwhile, an effort to recall Gov. Brad Little, primarily because of his stay-home order in March due to the coronavirus, failed.

Organizers, who had been at events around Kootenai County collecting signatures in recent months, had until Tuesday, Aug. 11, to collect signatures from 20% of Idahoans who were registered to vote in the general election.

The Secretary of State’s Office confirmed Wednesday that it had not received the signatures by the 5 p.m. Tuesday deadline, according to the Boise Statesman.