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COVID-19 numbers prompt Central District Health to order return to Stage 3

BOISE -Tuesday, Central District Health's (CDH) Director, along with the Board of Health, announced it will implement orders for Ada County to move back to many of the guidelines in Idaho's Stage 3 for COVID-19 response, effective Wednesday, June 24 at 12:01 a.m.

The CDH Order includes some variations from the state's Stage 3. Notably, Ada County bars and nightclubs will not be allowed to remain open. View the Order 'Here'.

The decision to implement a specific order for Ada County comes after a week of rapidly increasing case counts in the county and exposures

within public social settings. Last week alone, Ada County saw 303 COVID-19 cases, many of which are associated with individuals who reported going out to bars and nightclubs while unknowingly infectious. That illness cluster has risen to include152 people and has impacted family members, roommates, and friends of the individuals originally infected.

"We have been watching these numbers rapidly rise in Ada County, and with that, our concern has grown, too. In the interest of public health of our residents, we need to readjust, take a step back, and re-implement measures so that we can protect our most vulnerable residents and ensure that our health care providers do not become overwhelmed, and can continue providing quality care to those who need it," said Russ Duke, Director for CDH.

CDH and its Board of Health have not assigned a targeted end date for the order; instead, cases will be monitored closely and specific criteria will be used to help make decisions about moving between stages. View the criteria at https://cdh.idaho.gov/dac-coronavirus. COVID-19 case counts for CDH's jurisdiction are posted weekdays to the CDH website and weekly data are posted every Monday and Thursday by noon. Both can be found at https://cdh.idaho.gov/dac-coronavirus.

Though this order applies to Ada County at this time, every Idahoan is urged to continue practicing measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including:

  • Wearing a face covering in public
  • Keeping at least six feet of physical distance from others
  • Keeping hands and surfaces clean
  • Staying home if sick, even if symptoms are mild

Window on the Clearwater
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Orofino, ID 83544
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