Hospital urges caution for possible COVID 19 exposure

Editor's note: This version updates that Northern Montana Hospital and Northern Montana Care Center are closed to visitors at this time.

Northern Montana Health Care issued a release that afternoon saying that, while no cases of novel coronavirus 2019 have been confirmed in Hill County or in Montana, some people who are at high risk of having been exposed to the virus are in the immediate area.

NMHC sent out another release saying Northern Montana Hospital and Northern Montana Care Center are closed to all visitors at this time. The doors to both buildings will remain locked and people who need entrance are to call the hospital at 265-2211 and ask for the administrative director on the shift.

Northern Montana Health Care is setting up an incident command center to deal with the situation, the release said.

"At this time, NHMC is asking the community to use the Emergency Department at Northern Montana Hospital for life-threatening conditions only," the release said. "This will free up resources to be used for the ongoing situation of COVID-19.

"Due to a limited supply of COVID-19 testing kits in Montana, only people with high-risk exposure will be tested at this time," the release said.

It said if people are experiencing a fever, dry cough, sore throat, stomach issues or nasal secretions, they are advised to treat the symptoms with Tylenol, Motrin and over-the-counter cold medicines.

People who cannot manager their symptoms at home should make their first contact with health care professionals by telephone, the release said. Northern Montana Health Care is asking people to call the Emergency Department at Northern Montana Hospital at 265-2211 and ask for the administrative director on the shift before coming to the Emergency Department. At that time, an assessment will be made and the caller will be told how to proceed, the release said.

"The most important measure people should take is to self-isolate," the release added.

People should quarantine themselves and any exposed family members will help reduce the spread of the virus, the release said.

More information can be found online at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html .