1st instance of community spread of coronavirus confirmed in Idaho

BLAINE COUNTY — Idaho now has one confirmed case of community spread of the novel coronavirus, officials announced Thursday.

The case is not a new case — it was announced Wednesday in a press release — but it has been determined the Blaine County man in his 40s, who had COVID-19, had not traveled out of the state recently, nor did he have any known contact with anyone who has the virus.

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“Community spread means at least one person has been infected with the virus in an area who is not sure how or where they became infected,” according to the release. “The individual under investigation did not travel and had no identified contact with another person with COVID-19. Public Health officials expect more confirmed cases in the community.”

According to a state website offering information about coronavirus in Idaho, the state has 11 confirmed cases of COVID-19, which is the disease the virus causes. The site was last updated Wednesday morning.