Kootenai Health announced in October 2020 that it had reached capacity for COVID-19 patients, marking one of the most critical moments of the pandemic for North Idaho’s largest hospital.
The announcement came as Kootenai County’s coronavirus cases continued to climb. Hospital officials reported staffing shortages compounding the bed capacity crisis, and warned that community behavior would determine whether regional hospitals could continue providing care for all types of patients.
Officials noted that after eight months of pandemic conditions, the community was experiencing significant fatigue. The hospital district issued a public appeal asking residents to remain vigilant on behalf of healthcare workers, emergency services, and surrounding critical access hospitals.