COVID-19 deaths hit 1,000 in North Idaho

COEUR d'ALENE — The number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 in the Panhandle Health District recently hit 1,000.

"Through the pandemic, we also have had over 3,500 north Idahoans hospitalized with COVID-19," wrote Katherine Hoyer, PHD spokeswoman. "This has a significant impact on families, livelihoods, and our community as a whole."

The health district encompasses Idaho's five northern counties: Boundary, Bonner, Kootenai, Benewah and Shoshone. Statewide, there have been a total of 5,109 deaths related to COVID-19.

Of the 1,000 COVID-19 related deaths in the PHD, 91% were people over the age of 60, while 1.2% were people under the age of 40, according to PHD's COVID-19 dashboard.

Six-hundred and twenty-five of the deaths were in Kootenai County, while 191 were in Bonner County; 879 in Shoshone County; 64 in Boundary County and 41 in Benewah County.

Dr. Robert Scoggins of Kootenai Health said COVID continues to affect the health of many in the community and continues to lead to hospital admissions and death.

"While the numbers have decreased, the affect on patients, families and the health-care professionals who care for these patients is profound," he said.

Scoggins said Kootenai Health still recommends preventing infection through avoiding high-risk situations, wearing a mask when appropriate, social distancing and vaccination.

"Preventing infection may not just be important to you, it may save the life of someone you know," he said.

Kootenai Health's Dr. Todd Hoopman said COVID-19 continues to impact the hospital and the community.

"This impact is felt in the hospital via increased resource utilization to care for these patients in an inpatient setting," he said. "Additionally, we are still seeing long-term complications of COVID-19 in patients with pulmonary issues including oxygen needs, chronic shortness of breath and pulmonary scarring/fibrosis."

Hoopman said vigilance of COVID-19 remains important.

"We ask symptomatic patients to get tested and isolate if positive. Additionally, we are still in very strong support of vaccination and the recommended booster doses in order to reduce the severity of illness, prevent spread and shorten the course of illness," he said.

PHD has had a total of 62,421 COVID cases since it began keeping count in early 2020, and most recently processed 161 new cases.

There are currently 18 hospitalizations districtwide, according to PHD. Statewide hospitalizations were 78 as of Aug. 27, down from 196 on July 31, according to the state's COVID-19 Dashboard.

The COVID-19 positivity rate in the PHD was 16.9% based on 804 PCR tests for the week ending Aug. 20. That's down from 22% about six weeks ago but well up from 1.4% five months ago.

Kootenai County's positivity rate was 14.5%, down from 24% on July 9.

North Idaho is an area where a large percentage of its population declined to get vaccinated or wear masks, as recommended by most health officials.

The county's fully vaccinated rate of 43% is well under the state's fully vaccinated rate of 52%, and the nation's rate of 72%.

Hoyer said now is a great time to receive the COVID vaccine or booster.

"With school starting and cooler weather on the way, more people will be congregating indoors," she wrote.

Hoyer wrote there are predictions that a booster shot targeted specifically to the omicron BA.5 variant will become available this fall.