PHD: 97 new COVID cases, count reaches 689

595 cases in Kootenai County

COEUR d’ALENE — The Panhandle area now has a total of 689 COVID-19 cases, including 97 new cases Thursday, a single-day record, according to the Panhandle Health District.

Kootenai County’s coronavirus count rose to 595, an increase of 81 cases.

Five people are hospitalized, according to the Panhandle Health District. PHD said 210 cases are no longer being monitored and there has been a total of 22 hospitalizations. There has been one death in Kootenai County attributed to the coronavirus.

Benewah County remained at 15 cases, Bonner County rose 18 to 57, Boundary County is at two and Shoshone County rose five to eight, PHD said. There are 12 undetermined cases.

PHD reported that the age group of 18 to 29 has the most COVID-19 cases at 252, while 50-59 age group has 88 and the 40-49 age group has 82.

By gender, 375 cases are female, while 312 are male.

A spike in cases over the past seven weeks has raised concerns.

When restaurants, salons and gyms reopened May 16 under Gov. Brad Little’s Rebound Idaho plan, PHD reported 68 coronavirus cases, with 64 in Kootenai County.

On May 30, bars were allowed to reopen. Idaho entered stage four on June 13, which allowed nightclubs and large venues to open.

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.