Community transmission of coronavirus confirmed in 11 Idaho counties including Bonneville
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Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman
Elmore County’s first confirmed case of the coronavirus was reported Monday. One day later, Central District Health announced it has identified evidence of community transmission in Elmore County, the Idaho Statesman reports.
BOISE — Idaho now has confirmed community spread in 11 counties: Ada, Bingham, Blaine, Bonneville, Canyon, Elmore, Gem, Jefferson, Kootenai, Madison and Teton. Bonneville also was added to the list Thursday with two cases: a female in her 40s and a female in her 30s.
Elmore County, which encompasses Mountain Home, Glenns Ferry and Mountain Home Air Force Base, had eight cases of COVID-19 as of Thursday afternoon, CDH said. None of those cases have required hospitalization.
“With community transmission now identified in both Ada and Elmore counties, which see frequent cross-county travel, it is more important than ever that people follow public health recommendations to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” CDH said in a press release.
According to CDH, community transmission is defined as illness within a community that lacks connection to travel or other confirmed cases.
As of 5 p.m. Thursday, Idaho has had 222 new cases in the past 24 hours for a total of 891.
A female in her 70s who is recovering at home is the first confirmed case in Washington County, which includes Weiser, Southwest District Health announced Thursday. The source of transmission is still under investigation.
“As part of our investigative process, we work to identify and notify contacts of confirmed cases in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. We need everyone in our community doing their part to help us by following the stay-home order issued by Idaho Department of Health and Welfare,” SWDH District Director Nikki Zogg said in a press release. “Staying home and isolating yourself from others helps minimize the spread of communicable diseases like COVID-19.”
Health officials have reported nine deaths in the state connected to COVID-19 between Ada, Canyon, Blaine, Cassia and Nez Perce counties.
Cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in 30 of Idaho’s 44 counties: Ada, Adams, Bannock, Bingham, Blaine, Bonner, Bonneville, Camas, Canyon, Cassia, Custer, Elmore, Fremont, Gem, Gooding, Idaho, Jefferson, Jerome, Kootenai, Latah, Lincoln, Madison, Minidoka, Nez Perce, Owyhee, Payette, Teton, Twin Falls, Valley and Washington.