FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Community COVID-19 Transmission Confirmed in Canyon County

CANYON COUNTY, IDAHO – Southwest District Health (SWDH) has seen an increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canyon County and confirms detection of community spread in Canyon County. Community transmission, or community spread, is when public health professionals cannot specify an origin for an infection, such as tracing it to specific travel or contact with a specific individual. As of 7 p.m. last night, District 3 has confirmed 22 cases in Canyon County. The first Canyon County COVID-19 case was announced Friday, March 20, 2020.

Public Health officials continue to track the spread of COVID-19 and isolate anyone who came into contact with known cases. Southwest District Health urges the public to take action and help slow the spread by following the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Stay-home order issued Wednesday, March 25, 2020 to stay and work from home as much as possible.

• Those guidelines include:
• Keep six feet between yourself and everyone else at all times.
• Engage in work, schooling, and social interaction from home via technology.
• Avoid interacting with anyone outside your household unless you can keep at least six feet of space between you.
• Use drive-thru, pickup or delivery options as much as possible when getting food.
• Avoid all non-essential travel.
• Reschedule all social activities to take place via phone, video chats, or social media.

Southwest District Health offers a COVID-19 call center from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The hotline can be reached at (208) 455-5411. Please refer to https://coronavirus.idaho.gov/ for Idaho-specific information and guidance, and current fatality totals. For information on case numbers in Southwest Idaho visit https://swdh.id.gov/coronavirus.
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Media Contact:
Katrina Williams
Southwest District Health
Katrina.Williams@phd3.idaho.gov
(208) 455-5317 or (208) 899-1268

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

First Gem County COVID-19 Case Confirmed

Southwest District Health (SWDH) has confirmed a case of COVID-19 in a male in his 20s in Gem County. The individual in this case experienced mild symptoms and is recovering well at home. The source of transmission is under investigation. This individual has had no known contact with other confirmed cases.  Additional case-specific information about this individual is confidential and will not be released.

Southwest District Health staff will continue to investigate this case. All household members of confirmed cases will be asked to self-isolate at home for a prescribed period of time. If other people are found to have been exposed, health officials will contact them to provide guidance and monitor them for symptoms.

Southwest District Health and Gem County continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely and work with state, city and county government leaders, hospitals, healthcare providers, emergency management, EMS, schools, and our communities to help prevent the spread of illness.

“We know people are concerned during these times. We will get through this by working together to address the immediate needs of Gem County,” said District Director Nikki Zogg.

A respiratory illness screening tent has been established at Valor Health Urgent Care, 1102 E Locust Street. Hours of operation are Monday – Friday, 8am-7pm and Saturday 8am-5pm. Please call (208) 365-3561 first to speak to a triage nurse to discuss screening options. If you have symptoms such as fever (100.4 or greater), new or worsening cough, sore throat, difficulty breathing AND had known exposure to a confirmed COVID-19 patient OR travel to a highly infected areas OR are a healthcare worker OR are a resident of a long-term care facility, these are indications you may need to be screened and tested. Visit https://www.valorhealth.org/covid-19/ to learn more information.

Zogg urges the public to help slow the disease’s spread by following the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Stay-Home Order issued Wednesday, March 25, 2020,  to stay and work from home as much as possible.

Those guidelines include:

• Keep six feet between yourself and everyone else at all times.
• Engage in work, schooling, and social interaction from home via technology.
• Avoid interacting with anyone outside your household unless you can keep at least six feet of space between you.
• Use drive-thru, pickup or delivery options as much as possible when getting food.
• Avoid all non-essential travel.
• Reschedule all social activities to take place via phone, video chats, or social media.

Southwest District Health offers a COVID-19 call center from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The hotline can be reached at (208) 455-5411. For COVID-19 case numbers specific to the region Southwest District Health serves, please visit phd3.idaho.gov/coronavirus. For Idaho-specific information, please visit https://coronavirus.idaho.gov/.

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Media Contact:
Katrina Williams
Southwest District Health
Katrina.Williams@phd3.idaho.gov
(208) 455-5317 or (208) 899-1268

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Idaho reports 3 deaths related to COVID-19

The Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) and two local public health districts are reporting the state’s first deaths related to COVID-19.

They are:

• A man over the age of 60 from Blaine County. It is not clear if he had underlying health issues.
• A man over the age of 80 from Blaine County. It is not clear if he had underlying health issues.
• A man over the age of 70 from Canyon County with underlying health issues.

“This is very sad news, and we send our condolences to the families and friends of each of these individuals,” said Elke Shaw-Tulloch, administrator for the Division of Public Health in DHW. “This underscores the importance of Gov. Little’s order to stay home – we all have to do our part to slow the spread of COVID-19 and save lives.”

Gov. Brad Little issued a statewide stay-home order and signed an extreme emergency declaration on Wednesday. The stay-home order was effective immediately and in place for 21 days. The Governor and public health officials will assess whether to extend the order near the end of the 21-day period. The official order, a list of essential services, and an FAQ are available on coronavirus.idaho.gov.

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Media Contacts: 

• Brianna Bodily, South Central Public Health District Public Information Officer, 208-737-5985
• Katrina Williams, Southwest District Health, 208-455-5317
• Niki Forbing-Orr, DHW Public Information Manager, 208-334-0668

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Community COVID-19 transmission identified in Treasure Valley

Ada and Canyon County residents urged to follow actionable outlined steps

Central District Health (CDH) has seen an increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases in Ada County, and as of March 24, 2020, confirms one case of community spread in Ada County. One additional case in Ada County is pending investigation. To-date, CDH has seen 25 cases between Ada and Valley Counties.

Central District Health numbers to-date:

(CDH serves Ada, Boise, Elmore, and Valley Counties)

• Travel-associated confirmed cases = 23 (22 in Ada, 1 in Valley)
• Community-transmission cases = 1 (Ada)
• Pending investigation results = 1 (Ada)

While Southwest District Health (SWDH) has not yet confirmed community transmission, CDH and SWDH recognize there is considerable overlap between residents of Ada and Canyon Counties.

Southwest District Health numbers to-date:

(SWDH serves Adams, Washington, Payette, Gem, Canyon, Owyhee Counties)

• Travel-associated confirmed cases = 4 (Canyon)
• Community-transmission cases = 0 known/confirmed
• Pending investigation results = 3 (2 in Canyon, 1 in Payette)

Community transmission is defined as illness within a community that lacks connection to travel or other confirmed cases.

CDH and SWDH are closely monitoring COVID-19 cases in their jurisdictions and anticipate continued spread of this illness throughout Idaho and our counties. Both local health districts urge their communities to follow outlined strategies to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and avoid overwhelming our health care system while protecting our most vulnerable populations.

What should people do to help reduce community transmission?

Public health recommends the following:

• Practice social distancing: avoid crowds, maintain at least 6 feet from others when possible
• Decrease time in group settings when possible
• Limit unnecessary travel
• Consider postponing or canceling out of town vacations and travel out of state
• Use drive through and delivery services for everyday errands where possible
• Persons at increased risk of severe illness should consider sheltering in place
  • Only leave your home for “essential activities,” to work for an “essential business,” or for “essential travel.” Do not host or attend any gatherings
• Persons with recent travel to an area having widespread community transmission or a shelter in place order should shelter in place at home until 14 days after return.
• Create a plan for how to safely care for a household member if they become ill

While today’s community risk is still relatively low, this is rapidly changing. We ask that the public keep informed on developments and information from their health departments, which can be found at: https://www.cdh.idaho.gov/dac-coronavirus and https://swdh.id.gov/coronavirus/

If you are experiencing signs and symptoms associated with respiratory illness and do not need medical care, you should follow steps for self-isolation. If signs and symptoms worsen, please seek health care.

CDH and SWDH encourage everyone to seek out credible information for this response on the following websites:

• Central District Health: https://www.cdh.idaho.gov/dac-coronavirus
• Southwest District Health: https://swdh.id.gov/coronavirus/
• State of Idaho: www.coronavirus.idaho.gov
• CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

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Media Contacts:

Central District Health (CDH)
Christine Myron 208.327.8639 or 208.871.1712 | cmyron@cdh.idaho.gov

Southwest District Health
Katrina Williams 208.455.5317 or 208.899.1268 | Katrina.Williams@phd3.idaho.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

First Payette County COVID-19 Case Confirmed

CANYON COUNTY, ID – Southwest District Health (SWDH) has confirmed the first COVID-19 case in Payette County in a female in her 20s. The individual in this case experienced mild symptoms and recovered at home.  The point of transmission is under investigation. Additional case-specific information about this individual is confidential and will not be released.

Southwest District Health epidemiologists will investigate cases of possible contact with confirmed cases. Household members and anyone who had close, prolonged exposure to a confirmed case will be asked to self-isolate at home. Staff from SWDH will contact them, provide guidance, and monitor them closely for symptoms.

“We are working to take the right steps at the right time to slow the spread of this disease,” said SWDH District Director Nikki Zogg. “While this is a new virus, working to control communicable disease of all types is what our staff are trained to do and what they do each day all year long,” said Zogg.

Zogg encourages everyone to do their part to help slow the spread of COVID-19 by following these recommended actions:

• Practice social distancing by avoiding crowds and staying at least 6 feet from others
• Decrease time in group settings when possible
• Limit unnecessary travel; postpone or cancel out of town vacations and out of state travel
• Use drive through or delivery services for every day errands when possible
• Shelter in place if you are at increased risk for severe illness
• Shelter in place for 14 days after returning from travel to an area with known community spread
• Create a plan for how to safely care for a household member if they become ill.

Additional information on how to slow the spread of COVID-19 can be found at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-prevent-spread.html

Southwest District Health offers a COVID-19 call center from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The hotline can be reached at (208) 455-5411. For Idaho-specific information about the novel coronavirus, please visit https://coronavirus.idaho.gov/.

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Media Contact:
Katrina Williams
Southwest District Health
Katrina.Williams@phd3.idaho.gov
(208) 455-5317 or (208) 899-1268

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MORE COVID-19 CASES CONFIRMED IN CANYON COUNTY

CANYON COUNTY, IDAHO – Southwest District Health has confirmed four additional cases of COVID-19 in Canyon County. This brings the total to five cases in southwest Idaho.

• Male in his 20s from Canyon County recovering at home; recently traveled to an area of known community transmission
• Male in his 50s from Canyon County recovering at home; recently traveled to an out of state conference where an attendee was later confirmed to have COVID-19
• Female in her 40s from Canyon County recovering in the hospital; point of transmission is still under investigation
• Female in her 70s from Canyon County recovering at home; point of transmission is still under investigation

The investigations into these new confirmed cases are in their primary stages. Additional case-specific information about these individuals is confidential and will not be released.

“We all need to do our part to flatten the curve. Stay home and practice social distancing. Call or text your neighbors to ensure they’re okay. If you’re sick, stay home and self-isolate,” said Jaime Aanensen, Environmental and Community Health Services Division Administrator.

As a reminder, it is still cold and flu season, and you do not need to seek medical attention for a mild respiratory illness such as a cold.  However, if you have had close contact with a person with known COVID-19 or have recently traveled to an area with ongoing spread and you develop fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, self-isolate and call your healthcare provider to ask for instructions about how to seek care.

As SWDH continues to investigate these cases, news releases will be issued when there is evidence of community spread and for the first case in each county in our district. Visit  https://coronavirus.idaho.gov/ for case numbers by health district and county.

Southwest District Health has opened a call center to field questions from the community. The call center is open Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You can reach the hotline at (208) 455-5411.

For Idaho-specific information about the novel coronavirus, please visit https://coronavirus.idaho.gov/

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Media Contact:
Katrina Williams
Southwest District Health
Katrina.Williams@phd3.idaho.gov
(208) 455-5317 or (208) 899-1268

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MORE COVID-19 CASES CONFIRMED IN CANYON COUNTY

CANYON COUNTY, IDAHO – Southwest District Health has confirmed four additional cases of COVID-19 in Canyon County. This brings the total to five cases in southwest Idaho.

• Male in his 20s from Canyon County recovering at home; recently traveled to an area of known community transmission
• Male in his 50s from Canyon County recovering at home; recently traveled to an out of state conference where an attendee was later confirmed to have COVID-19
• Female in her 40s from Canyon County recovering in the hospital; point of transmission is still under investigation
• Female in her 70s from Canyon County recovering at home; point of transmission is still under investigation

The investigations into these new confirmed cases are in their primary stages. Additional case-specific information about these individuals is confidential and will not be released.

“We all need to do our part to flatten the curve. Stay home and practice social distancing. Call or text your neighbors to ensure they’re okay. If you’re sick, stay home and self-isolate,” said Jaime Aanensen, Environmental and Community Health Services Division Administrator.

As a reminder, it is still cold and flu season, and you do not need to seek medical attention for a mild respiratory illness such as a cold.  However, if you have had close contact with a person with known COVID-19 or have recently traveled to an area with ongoing spread and you develop fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, self-isolate and call your healthcare provider to ask for instructions about how to seek care.

As SWDH continues to investigate these cases, news releases will be issued when there is evidence of community spread and for the first case in each county in our district. Visit  https://coronavirus.idaho.gov/ for case numbers by health district and county.

Southwest District Health has opened a call center to field questions from the community. The call center is open Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You can reach the hotline at (208) 455-5411.

For Idaho-specific information about the novel coronavirus, please visit https://coronavirus.idaho.gov

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Media Contact:
Katrina Williams
Southwest District Health
Katrina.Williams@phd3.idaho.gov
(208) 455-5317 or (208) 899-1268

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Southwest District Health Announces Canyon County COVID-19 Case

CANYON COUNTY, ID – Southwest District Health (SWDH) has confirmed a case of COVID-19 in a male in his 60s in Canyon County. The individual in this case experienced mild symptoms and is recovering well at home. The investigation has revealed he recently traveled to a location that is currently seeing community spread. Additional case-specific information about this individual is confidential and will not be released. This is the first case in the six-county region Southwest District Health serves.

The COVID-19 situation is changing by the day and Southwest District Health is partnering with our communities across the board to work diligently to help slow the spread of this disease. “Please trust us as your public health agency. We will get through this by working together and taking the right steps at the right time. Please follow our recommendations. We are here to support our communities and the health of those communities is very important to us,” said Nikole Zogg, PhD, SWDH District Director. Zogg urges residents to not panic and use common sense when shopping for groceries and supplies. “If you need a grocery item, buy it. If you have it, share it. If you don’t need it, please leave it on the shelf,” said Zogg.

Southwest District Health remains open for business and most staff are working in-office at this time with plans in place for telecommuting should it be appropriate to do so.

Southwest District Health offers a COVID-19 call center from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The hotline can be reached at (208) 455-5411. For Idaho-specific information about the novel coronavirus, please visit https://coronavirus.idaho.gov/.

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Media Contact:
Katrina Williams
Southwest District Health
Katrina.Williams@phd3.idaho.gov
(208) 455-5317 or (208) 899-1268

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND WELFARE AND PUBLIC HEALTH DISTRICTS UPDATE GUIDANCE FOR MASS GATHERINGS AND PUBLIC EVENTS

CALDWELL, IDAHO – – Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and the seven local Public Health Districts have updated guidance for event and venue managers to assist with decisions regarding mass gatherings and public events during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Idaho public health experts, the Department of Health and Welfare and all local Public Health Districts, will support any decision made by a venue or event manager to postpone or cancel mass gatherings and public events.  For the purpose of this guidance, mass gatherings and events are defined as a public gathering for business, social, academic or recreational activities including, but not limited to, community, civic, public, educational, leisure, or sporting events; parades; concerts; festivals; conventions; fundraisers; and similar activities.

Idaho public health experts recommend that organizers (whether groups or individuals) postpone or cancel mass gatherings and public events in any of the following situations:

• The event will draw audiences or participants from communities, states, or countries with confirmed community spread of COVID-19 disease. Your local public health district can assist you in making this determination.
• The event will consist of 50 people or more people.  This is recommended for the next eight (8) weeks.
• The event’s primary audience includes or may expose high-risk populations, including adults over the age of 60 years and people with underlying chronic medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes, regardless of the number of attendees.

Idaho public health experts recommend event and venue managers consider using virtual gatherings (e.g., webinar, video conferencing, live stream, etc.) as a mechanism to minimize the risk of COVID-19 exposure to the general public and vulnerable populations, when possible.

Idaho public health experts recommend that facilities housing large numbers of people (such as long-term care facilities, jails and corrections, shelters, etc.) implement policies now to minimize risk to their populations by limiting visitors, providing proper handwashing and hygiene facilities for staff, visitors and residents and enhancing screening for staff and visitors for symptoms of COVID-19.

Symptoms of COVID-19 generally include flu-like symptoms, a fever of 100.4°F or higher and/or respiratory infection symptoms including cough and shortness of breath.

There is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. We all must takes steps now to protect ourselves and others, including washing hands often, practicing social distancing–-keeping 6 feet between you and others, staying home if

you are sick, covering coughs and sneezes, wearing a facemask only if you are sick, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces with bleach wipes or a sanitizing spray.                                                                                          

Please visit www.cdc.gov for additional information on mass gatherings.

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Media Contact:
Katrina Williams
Southwest District Health
Katrina.Williams@phd3.idaho.gov
(208) 455-5317 or (208) 899-1268

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHWEST DISTRICT HEALTH CALL CENTER ADDS WEEKEND HOURS FOLLOWING ANNOUNCEMENT OF FIRST COVID-19 CASE IN IDAHO

CALDWELL, IDAHO –  The COVID-19 Call Center operated by Southwest District Health will be open Saturday, March 14, 2020 and Sunday, March 15, 2020 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to help handle increased call volume from concerned citizens.

Southwest District Health continues to closely monitor the rapidly changing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) situation.  Everyone can make an effort to keep themselves healthy by:

• Washing hands often with soap and water
• Avoiding touching eyes, mouth, or nose with unwashed hands
• Keeping a distance of at least six feet from people who appear to have respiratory illness
• Covering your coughs with a tissue or coughing into your elbow
• Cleaning often touched objects and surfaces using regular household cleaning spray or wipes.

For more information and more details about novel coronavirus, visit  https://swdh.id.gov/coronavirus/ or https://coronavirus.idaho.gov/

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Media Contact:
Katrina Williams
Southwest District Health
Katrina.Williams@phd3.idaho.gov
(208) 455-5317 or (208) 899-1268