Valley County Woman Dies of COVID-19 Infection

The Valley County Health Department has confirmed the death of a woman in her 70s due to COVID-19. She has not been publicly identified.

"We express our sympathy to her family and loved ones," said Lynn Miller, RN, Director of the Valley County Health Department

To date, Valley County has lost 19 persons to COVID-19, Miller said.

VALLEY COUNTY COVID-19

• New cases since last update one week ago: 25

• Active cases now: 36

• Recovered cases/no longer infectious: 962

• Total cases: 1,017

• Hospitalizations since last update: 4

• Total hospitalizations to date: 79

NEW ACTIVE CASES ONLY:

• Male: 11

• Female: 14

• Age less than 10: 0

• 10-19: 4

• 20-29: 6

• 30-39: 3

• 40-49: 5

• 50-59: 2

• 60-69: 3

• 70-79:

• 80+: 2

Death due to COVID-19 and/or COVID-19 complications:

• Valley County: 19

• Montana: 1887

US rolling 7-day average death rate from COVID-19 infection: 1,448 people die daily on average in the U.S. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/covidview/

COVID-19 VACCINE:

Valley County vaccination rate: 41.0% (2,594 persons fully vaccinated out of 6,313 eligible Valley County residents). 35 COVID vaccines were given on Sept. 15 at VCHD.

Walk-in vaccine clinic for COVID-19 and FLU vaccine only every Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at VCHD.

COVID-19 vaccine – Moderna and J&J – for age 18+ are available.

The Valley County Health Department continues to pursue three goals when dealing with the pandemic.

• Protect the vulnerable

• Keep students in school

• Keep adults at work

IF INFECTED:

"It is essential for everyone that if you have any symptoms – fever, chills, muscle aches, runny nose, sore throat, change or loss of taste or smell, headache, fatigue, cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of appetite – you stay home and isolate from others in your household," Miller said. "Please protect others through isolation and by getting vaccinated."

It takes six weeks from the first dose of the Moderna vaccine to achieve maximum immunity with 94% effectiveness.