Four additional people in Idaho were confirmed to have the novel coronavirus as of Saturday night, bringing the state’s total to five.
According to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, a Blaine County woman in her 50s, a man in his 50s from Ada County, a woman in her 50s from Teton County, and a woman in her 70s living in south central Idaho all have the illness.
The new cases came within about 24 hours of Gov. Brad Little announcing the state’s first case Friday, an Ada County woman in her 50s.
The Blaine County woman is recovering at her home and has only mild symptoms that have not required hospital care. The woman self-isolated when she developed symptoms and notified her physician, who evaluated her after donning protective gear. The woman’s recent movements prior to her self-isolation are being traced by the health department, according to a Health and Welfare news release.
According to a report from the Ketchum-based Idaho Mountain Express newspaper, the woman traveled to an unnamed neighboring state within the past 14 days. That state did not have a confirmed case at the time of her travel, but does now. Department of Health officials did not indicate if they know whether the woman contracted the illness from community spread or contact with a known COVID-19 patient.
“We do not feel like any businesses and schools in the area have any more risk than they did before (Friday) night,” said Melody Bowyer, the director of South Central Public Health District, during a news conference, according to Boise State Public Radio.
“I think it’s important to respect this person’s privacy,” Blaine County spokesman Larry Schoen told the Idaho Mountain Express. “She did everything she was supposed to do. Now, South Central Public Health District is conducting a thorough investigation, and they will follow up with anyone who has come in contact with the individual.”
The Teton County woman had direct contact with a COVID-19 patient in a neighboring state. When she was made aware of the contact, she self-isolated at her home and arranged for testing. She is experiencing mild symptoms and is in good spirits, said James Corbett, director of Eastern Idaho Community Health.
Health officials are working to trace her movements and contacts with other people prior to the time she self-isolated.
“We will work to identify the individuals who have risk of exposure and give them further guidance,” Corbett said.
The man in Ada County is recovering at his home and is believed to have contracted the illness during recent travel, according to the Health and Welfare news release and “is presumed to have the same shared risk exposure to the first case identified in Ada County.” Idaho’s first case was reported Friday, an Ada County woman in her 50s.
The woman, who lives within the eight-county area of the South Central Health District headquarted in Twin Falls, is hospitalized and recovering. Health officials do not how she contracted the illness.
Thus far, 163 people in Idaho have been tested for the illness at the state lab and 13 at private labs. There are no known cases of the disease in north central Idaho nor in Asotin, Garfield or Whitman counties in southeastern Washington. Health officials in Washington are awaiting test results on five patients from Asotin County and about 14 patients in Whitman County. In Washington, 642 people have tested positive for the disease, mostly on the west side of the state, and 40 people have died from it.
On Saturday, the Blaine County and Coeur d’Alene school districts announced they are closing schools starting Monday through April 5.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1,629 people in the United States have been confirmed to have the illness and 41 have died. However, the CDC website was not updated Saturday afternoon to reflect the new confirmed cases in Idaho.
Barker may be contacted at ebarker@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2273. Follow him on Twitter @ezebarker.
