“Dotti Owens, the Ada County coroner, said the COVID-19 pandemic had already begun to strain coroners in smaller counties around the state. During a meeting of Ada County government officials on Thursday, Owens said she had received a call from a worker at a funeral home who said Blaine County was already struggling to deal with the number of calls as the novel coronavirus continues to spread in the community. Her team is reaching out to Blaine County.”
“The coroner’s office has a limited staff and the office is determined to protect their health by all means necessary. All cases are being treated with the utmost mindfulness of possible hazards relating to a novel coronavirus death.”
“A 71-year-old man who was found dead in his home after returning from a trip to China does not appear to have been infected with the new coronavirus, the Ada County Coroner said, but more testing is being done out of an abundance of caution.”
