Coronavirus: Saint Al’s asks people with no symptoms not to seek testing, citing shortage
The Saint Alphonsus Health System is asking residents with no symptoms or mild symptoms not to seek testing for coronavirus, citing a shortage of testing capacity.
Instead of being tested, those patients are asked to consider staying at home while practicing self-care. People with significant or severe COVID-19 symptoms or who have urgent medical care needs are still encouraged to seek care and testing.
Saint Alphonsus has two drive-up assessment sites, at the Meridian Health Plaza and the Garrity Road clinic in Nampa.
“Both sites have experienced longer lines than normal as the number of COVID-19 confirmed and suspected cases has increased in our communities,” according to a Saint Al’s news release.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, loss of smell or taste, headache, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, and muscle or body aches.
Nampa taking new precautions
As coronavirus cases rise in Canyon County, Nampa will begin to close some city buildings to the public.
The city of Nampa said Tuesday in a news release that the Development Services Center, located at 500 12th Avenue South, will close to the public starting Wednesday and remaining closed through Aug. 3. The building houses services like the city’s building and facilities development branch, economic and community development, public works and other departments.
The Nampa library will close its lobby starting Wednesday and will remain closed until at least Aug. 10. Curbside pickup will continue to be available.
Nampa City Hall will remain open, but city officials ask that transactions take place over the phone or by email. City officials “strongly encourage” those who go to City Hall to wear a mask or other face covering.
As of Wednesday, Nampa’s recreation center and golf courses will remain open.
Over 100 COVID-19 tests taken at Nimiipuu Health in Kamiah
On Saturday, 101 coronavirus tests were taken at the Nez Perce Tribe’s Nimiipuu Health clinic in Kamiah.
The tests revealed one positive, but as of Wednesday 86 tests are still pending. Test results should come back within eight to 10 days.
Nimiipuu Health said in a news release Tuesday that the delay in test processing is due to “the increase of COVID-19 testing in the region.” The health clinic is still waiting on another batch of tests taken June 29.
Health officials deemed it necessary to provide mass testing after noticing a rise in coronavirus cases in the region.
“Our No. 1 concern is public safety, said R. Kim Hartwig, medical director at the Kamiah clinic. “The sooner we can gather information on the severity of the situation, the better we can address the issues,”
Over 400 new coronavirus cases reported Tuesday in Idaho
Idaho is quickly approaching 8,000 after 405 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus were tallied Tuesday, with nearly half being found in Ada County.
The county recorded 195 new cases on Tuesday, passing the 3,000 case mark and bringing its total to 3,081 as of Wednesday morning.
Just behind Ada is Canyon County, which reported 81 new cases Tuesday. Its total now stands at 1,397 confirmed coronavirus cases. Kootenai (26) and Twin Falls (45) counties also posted double-digit new cases on Tuesday.
New cases were reported Tuesday in counties like Bannock, Elmore, Jerome, Minidoka, Payette and Washington, among others.
As of Tuesday evening, Idaho has 7,958 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. No new deaths were reported Tuesday, and the state’s death total remains at 94.
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported 39 new “probable cases” bringing the total to 655.
Coronavirus cases have been reported in the majority of Idaho’s 44 counties: Ada 3,081, Adams 11, Bannock 120, Bear Lake 2, Benewah 15, Bingham 73, Blaine 531, Boise 5, Bonner 39, Bonneville 124, Boundary 1, Camas 1, Canyon 1,397, Caribou 17, Cassia 249, Clearwater 2, Custer 5, Elmore 72, Franklin 29, Fremont 7, Gem 34, Gooding 58, Idaho 9, Jefferson 15, Jerome 228, Kootenai 466, Latah 26, Lemhi 2, Lincoln 33, Madison 32, Minidoka 201, Nez Perce 92, Oneida 5, Owyhee 45, Payette 120, Power 18, Shoshone 3, Teton 20, Twin Falls 637, Valley 22 and Washington 111.
Community spread has been detected in 34 Idaho counties: Ada, Bannock, Benewah, Bingham, Blaine, Bonner, Bonneville, Canyon, Caribou, Cassia, Clearwater, Custer, Elmore, Fremont, Gem, Gooding, Idaho, Jefferson, Jerome, Kootenai, Lemhi, Lewis, Lincoln, Madison, Minidoka, Nez Perce, Owyhee, Oneida, Payette, Power, Teton, Twin Falls, Valley and Washington.
This story was originally published July 8, 2020 at 11:26 AM.
