Two new COVID-19 deaths in Spokane County

SPOKANE — Two new COVID-19-related deaths were annouced Sunday in Spokane, bringing the total number of deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus in the county to four.

The deaths were a man in his 80s and a woman in her 60s. The total number of cases in the county on Sunday was 115, up by seven from the day before. There are nine people hospitalized in Spokane with the virus currently, according to the health district.

A woman in her 50s and a man in his 80s were the two previous patients to die after contracting the virus. Additional details about hospitalization of the two patients who were reported to have died Sunday were not immediately available from the Spokane Regional Helath District.

The Washington Department of Health had technical difficulties with their surveillance system Sunday, meaning actual case numbers are likely higher than annouced, according to a news release from the health district.

There were 12 new cases of COVID-19 reported in northern Idaho on Sunday. The Panhandle Health District confirmed that many of the new cases are due to community transmission.

Community transmission means that health officials believe someone who contracted the respiratory illness associated with the novel coronavirus passed it to another in northern Idaho, rather than it being contracted somewhere else.

The first coronavirus confirmed case was also reported in Bonner County on Sunday.

“We continue to urge the public to adhere to the stay-home order made by Governor Little,” a health district statement read. “We know practicing social distancing strategies can slow the spread of this virus, but we need everyone to do their part.”

All but one of the dozen new cases are in Kootenai County. The other is the Bonner County case. None of the newly diagnosed individuals were hospitalized as of Sunday.

Those living with people confirmed to have the virus have also been asked to self-isolate and monitor themselves for symptoms.

There were 27 total cases in the Panhandle area as of Sunday, which covers Kootenai, Shoshone, Benewah, Bonner and Boundary counties. The Idaho Health Department reported 261 cases in the state, with five deaths attributed to COVID-19.