South Central Public Health District and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare have confirmed community spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Blaine County.
According to the Idaho Coronavirus Info Twitter, community spread is when at least one person has become infected with the virus in an area and is not sure how or where the person became infected.
The individual who has been confirmed as a community spread case is a male from Blaine County in his 40s. He has had no out-of-state travel and has had no contact with any of the other confirmed cases.
This was Blaine County’s fifth case and the tenth case overall in Idaho.
“It no longer matters where it started, this virus is now in our community. It is important that we take precautions to slow the spread and protect the most vulnerable among us,” Logan Hudson, SCPHD public health division administrator said in a press release. “We urge residents to follow public health recommendations to stay home as much as possible to help protect themselves and their communities.”
SCPHD and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare have so far not linked this community spread to the first four cases in Blaine County or the one case in Twin Falls County.
“Community spread means that because somebody has been infected with the virus in an area, and it’s not clear how they got infected, that means that entire area — so the entirety of Blaine County at this point — is potentially suspect,” Brianna Bodily, South Central Public Health District public information officer said. “At this point, there are no areas, necessarily to avoid, everybody should just be careful. They should follow the recommendations that we released before. If anybody at this point is still expecting some sort of hesitancy to follow them — this is a really good reminder of why it is important.”
South Central Public Health District released these steps to help slow the spread of the coronavirus:
- Work or engage in schooling from home whenever possible.
- Avoid social gatherings in groups of more than 10 people.
- Avoid eating or drinking at bars, restaurants and food courts where social distancing is not achievable; instead use drive-thru, pickup or delivery options.
- Avoid discretionary travel, shopping trips and social visits.
- Cancel visits to nursing homes, retirement and long-term care facilities unless to provide critical assistance.
Alex Brizee can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @alex_brizee