Benewah County deputy in quarantine, awaiting test results

A Benewah County Sheriff’s Office deputy is being quarantined after testing positive, then negative, for the coronavirus.

The deputy made a traffic stop on Sunday of a man whose wife had tested positive for COVID-19, according to the BCSO Facebook site. The deputy was then sent to a clinic in Plummer for testing, and the results came back positive.

“Upon hearing from Kristin Compton at the St. Maries Ambulance, we sent the Deputy into the Benewah Community Hospital for a second test which came back negative,” the post said. “Upon advice from both the St. Maries Ambulance and BCH staff, we have had the Deputy quarantine at least until the test results come back from the third test.”

The deputy has no symptoms of being ill, the BCSO said.

The man the deputy came into contact with on the traffic stop, and his close friends, were also tested and the results for all came back negative.

“Contrary to popular belief, the Sheriff’s Office does NOT have a Deputy that tested positive for COVID-19 and is still working,” the post said.

Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus cases in Kootenai County has reached 87 as of Tuesday.

The Panhandle Health District reported it has confirmed 111 cases in the five northern counties. Ninety-four were no longer being monitored and there had been a total of 13 hospitalizations.

PHD reported there are eight cases in Benewah County, seven in Bonner, and still none in Boundary or Shoshone counties. There are nine cases labeled “undetermined.”