First Gem County COVID-19 Case Confirmed
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