Idaho looks to include map to help track coronavirus

The website that updates the rise of the coronavirus throughout the state will likely soon include a map.

During an AARP Idaho-sponsored town hall, state officials acknowledged the current website, coronavirus.idaho.gov, will likely soon include a map that indicates the home city of a patient who tests positive.

“The more information we have,” said Dr. Christine Hahn, state epidemiologist, said during the town hall conference call, “the more we know where this is hitting.”

The conference call — where Hahn, Idaho Governor Brad Little and Department of Health and Welfare director Dave Jeppesen — fielded pandemic-related questions from the public that ranged from concerns for those with damaged immune systems to a critique over the speed of the government’s response. When a member of the public asked about how they could find region-specific data, the idea of the map was floated.

“It’s something that you’re likely going to see soon,” Hahn said. “As this progresses, [a map is] likely coming soon.”

Currently, the website lists the number of people being monitored by Idaho public health districts, the people who have cleared monitoring, the number of people tested through both public and private laboratories, and the number of confirmed coronavirus patients, which stands at seven. While the site has links to various press releases, a Twitter feed and informative videos, it does not have a consolidated map or details of the patients who’ve tested positive.

“This is a moving issue,” Little said. “The science is moving...Everyday, the dynamics of [the science] changes, and we’re being as adaptive as we can here in Idaho.”

The town hall was a open forum to everyone but targeted the most susceptible coronavirus patients: the elderly. It’s a population that is now the focus of community efforts to self-isolate and exercise social distancing to try and slow the spread of the disease that.

“Our goal,” Little said, “is to take that [infected population] increase and spread it out over a long enough period of time, so our health care capacity can handle it.”

Little added the best thing Idahoans can do right now is to wash our hands, be mindful of our physical conditions and act human in uncertain times.

“‘Love thy neighbor,’” Little quoted. “Be respectful of others’ needs when buying groceries. See what you can do to help your neighbor out.”