Kootenai County sees biggest one-day jump in coronavirus cases

By BILL BULEY

Staff Writer

Kootenai County saw its largest single-day jump in coronavirus cases when it increased by 19 Wednesday to 152.

The Panhandle Health District reported an increase of 23 cases to hit 192, with 13 in Benewah County, 18 in Bonner County, and nine undetermined. Shoshone and Boundary counties still have no cases.

In the last two and a half weeks PHD reported there have been 91 new cases.

“We believe the increase in cases is due to people being out and about more and not practicing the guidance,” saiid Katherine Hoyer, PHD spokeswoman.

PHD is calling on “everyone who can to wear a cloth face covering in public, to keep 6 feet between themselves and others, to wash hands frequently, to not gather in large crowds.

“We know these things work, but it takes everyone’s participation,” Hoyer wrote.

Idaho has nearly 4,000 cases and has had 89 deaths attributed to the coronavirus.

Of the cases in the PHD, 114 are no longer being monitored. There have been 16 total hospitalizations and one is currently hospitalized.

PHD reported that 23 people age 18 and younger have had or have the coronavirus, 93 cases are people ages 19 to 49, and 76 are 50 and over.

Ninety-nine cases are female, while 93 are male, PHD said.

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.

Central District Health moved Ada County back to stage three of Idaho’s reopening process today due to rising COVID-19 cases.

Health officials have said they expected to see an increase in cases as the economy opened up again, but continue to urge people to take precautions — wash hands, sanitize, stay home if sick — to slow the spread of COVID-19.

“People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported — ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness,” according to PHD.