COVID-19 Status in Valley County

Valley County’s active COVID-19 cases stand at five as of press time this week. The cumulative number of cases in the county stands at 13, with eight recovered diagnoses. With the new cases, Valley County is now under the mask mandate issued by Governor Steve Bullock on July 15.

Counties with four or more active cases fall under the mandate requiring face coverings in certain indoor spaces and for certain outdoor activities. The directive is an attempt to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. Montana has over 1,500 active coronavirus cases, and over 4,000 cumulative cases. The state has over 2,600 recovered cases and has registered more than 60 deaths.

Cloth face coverings are required for businesses, government offices and other indoor spaces open to the public. Masks must cover the mouth and nose and be worn indoors. Outdoor activities involving 50 or more people must also require face coverings when social distancing is not possible or not observed.

Some exceptions to the mandate do exist. Children under five years of age are not required to wear face coverings, though strongly encouraged. Persons eating or drinking at businesses that sell food or drinks will not be required to wear masks. Strenuous activities that make face coverings unsafe are also exempt from the mandate. Persons with medical conditions which would make wearing a mask unsafe are exempt.

Businesses, government offices and publicly facing spaces should provide face coverings for employees and volunteers, and post signs giving notice that face coverings are required for persons five and older. Businesses and hosts of events may deny entry to persons without face coverings, with the option to call law enforcement with trespassing complaints.

The governor has asked that local health officials and law enforcement officers focus on education and warnings rather than criminal penalties unless egregious, repeat violations endanger the public.

Valley County added three new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, July 29, and two additional cases on Saturday, Aug. 1. All five cases were identified via contact tracing.

Case #9 is a female in her 50s who is not symptomatic and was isolating at home. Contact tracing from this case was completed when the press release from Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital was released. Case #10 is a male in his 70s who is not symptomatic and was isolating at home. Contact tracing in this case was also complete at the time of the press release. Case #11 is a female in her 60s who was not exhibiting symptoms and was isolating at home. The investigation was ongoing and contact tracing was in progress.

Case #12, announced on Aug. 1, is a woman in her 40s with symptoms who was isolating at home. Contact tracing was complete at the time of the press release. Case #13 is a man in his 60s who is asymptomatic and isolating at home. Contact tracing was also complete for this case.

The Valley County Health Department continues to ask the public to keep their voicemail set up and cleared in case contact needs to be made. The public is further asked to continue mitigation efforts such as limiting contact with others and avoiding large group gatherings. Hand washing, coving coughs, monitoring for symptoms and staying home while sick are also recommended to slow the spread of coronavirus.

The Health Department and FMDH advise the public to monitor themselves and family members for symptoms of COVID-19 such as a new/sudden dry cough, shortness of breath, body aches, sore throat, fatigue and a fever of 100.5 or greater. If you are asymptomatic and have known exposure to a positive case, contact the Valley County Health Department at 228-6261. If you are experiencing symptoms of the virus, contact the FMDH Respiratory Clinic at 228-3509.