COVID count at 511; 4 hospitalized

COEUR d’ALENE — The Panhandle area has a total of 511 COVID-19 cases, including 90 new cases, as of Monday. Most are in the 18 to 49 age group.

Four people are hospitalized, according to the Panhandle Health District.

Kootenai County’s coronavirus count rose to 440, an increase of 83 cases.

Benewah County remained at 15 cases, Bonner County rose three to 39 while Boundary County has one and Shoshone County has three, PHD said. There are 13 undetermined cases.

PHD said 138 cases are no longer being monitored and there has been a total of 21 hospitalizations.

There has been one death in Kootenai County.

PHD reported that 61 people age 18 and younger have had or have the coronavirus, 313 cases are people ages 19 to 49, and 137 are 50 and older.

By gender, 272 cases are female, while 237 are male.

While the number of infections in the county is low — less than .25 percent — compared to its population of about 165,000, the recent increase has raised concerns.

Health officials say people should not be complacent and must be vigilant in practicing social distancing, sanitizing, hand washing and wearing a mask when in public.

The precautions for avoiding COVID-19 are the same as those for avoiding the flu and common cold, according to the PHD website.

COVID-19 testing is available in North Idaho and anyone who needs to be tested is encouraged to call their primary care provider or PHD’s hotline.

Info: panhandlehealthdistrict.org/covid-19 or call the PHD Hotline Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 877-415-5225.