An unvaccinated child who lives in Kootenai County was diagnosed with measles just weeks after the virus was found in the area's wastewater. It's the second confirmed case of measles in Idaho this month.
The case also marks the first confirmed measles case in the Idaho Panhandle since 1991, according to a news release Tuesday from the Panhandle Health District.
Kootenai County is home to the cities of Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, Hayden, Rathdrum and Athol. In late July, measles was found in the city of Coeur d'Alene's wastewater, an indicator that someone in the area was infected, even though no official cases were yet reported.
Wastewater testing can often detect the presence of infectious diseases, like measles, before cases are even diagnosed. But most communities in Idaho, apart from Coeur d'Alene and Boise, don't test wastewater for measles.