47 new virus cases reported on the Palouse

Feb. 26—Whitman County Public Health reported 25 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, pushing its total to 3,334. According to a news release, deaths from the disease remained unchanged at 44.

New cases include 10 people younger than 20 years old, seven women and five men between the ages of 20 and 39, two men between 40 and 59 and a man between 60 and 79.

Washington is still in Phase 1B tier 1 of its vaccine allocation plan. The phase allows for vaccines to be administered to health care workers, residents 65 or older and residents 50 or older in a multigenerational household.

Residents can assess their eligibility for the vaccine using Phase Finder at FindYourPhaseWA.org. If eligible, print or take a screenshot of one's eligibility certificate.

Eligible individuals will then be directed to a new page with information on how to register for local vaccine clinics. Those not eligible to receive vaccinations can sign up for an automated notification when they become eligible.

Just over the state border, Public Health — Idaho North Central District reported 28 new cases in its five-county region, 22 of which were discovered in Latah County.

New cases in the county include one person younger than 18 years old, nine women and seven men between the ages of 18 and 29, one woman in her 30s, one woman in her 40s, two women in their 50s and a woman in her 60s.

According to information from Idaho Public Health's website, 2,486 people have recovered from the disease and deaths in Latah County remain steady at 6.

In a press release from Gritman Medical Center, the hospital reported its seven-day positivity rate climbed from 3.38 percent reported a week ago to 7.32 percent reported Thursday — or 70 positive tests out of 956 administered. The hospital also reported 38 people have been hospitalized at Gritman since the pandemic began — up from 35 reported one week earlier.