More COVID cases hit Hill County

With confirmations of COVID-19 continuing to hit the state, including in Hill County, more actions and closures are occurring.

Gov. Steve Bullock issued a directive Wednesday mandating wearing masks in public in counties with four or more active cases of the disease, and the Chippewa Cree Business Committee extended its lockdown on Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation to Monday following more confirmations of COVID-19.

Those confirmations also led to the Rocky Boy Health Center being closed to general access while contact tracing, testing people who were in contact with confirmed cases, is conducted.

Hill County Health Department told the Havre Daily News this morning that eight more cases have been confirmed in the county, bringing the total including the first case confirmed in March to 22, 19 active cases and three recoveries.

All of the new Hill County cases have been confirmed from July 4 forward.

The Rocky Boy Health Center posted about 3 p.m. Wednesday that it was closed until further notice due to a positive COVID-19 test. Contact tracing is ongoing and more information will be released as it becomes available, the post said.

As of 7 Wednesday night, the Health Center announced it will start seeing urgent care patients today at 11 a.m. and medication deliveries will be available. People can call 395-1693.

The release said the dental department will take emergencies starting at 11 a.m. but optometry will be closed today.

The pharmacy refill line is 395-4843.

And ripples are still going out in other areas, with more businesses in Havre and the region asking customers to use exact change or pay with debit or credit cards due to a nationwide coin shortage.

Rocky Boy ordered a lockdown July 8 that expired Wednesday, but the Business Committee Wednesday extended that another six days, through Monday.

The lockdown shuts down almost all tribal operations and businesses on the reservation.

Limited exceptions apply to Chippewa Cree Tribal Police Department, Rocky Boy Health Center and Gramma's Market.

Access onto and off the reservation is limited to designated points, and access at the points will be only for professional staff or for essential activities.

With limited exceptions on a case-by-case basis such as where a person is unable to operate a motor vehicle, only one person per vehicle is allowed to leave for essential activities.

People will only be allowed one exit and one entry to the reservation per 24-hour period.

Essential activities includes activities such as obtaining medical supplies or medication, visiting health care professionals or obtaining supplies needed to work for home; obtaining or delivering services or supplies for themselves or their families or delivering them to others such as food or other groceries and cleaning supplies; caring for a family member or pet in another household, and participating in COVID-19 testing.

Professional staff allowed access includes government officials, first responders, local or federal officers or investigators, medical or delivery drivers or law enforcement personnel carrying out their duties.

The resolution says all people are required to self-quarantine during the six-day lockdown, and if travel outside of the home is required that they follow the restrictions listed.

A 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew remains in effect and the business committee requires anyone to wear masks or face coverings when they are out in public within the exterior boundaries of the reservation.

People within the exterior boundaries of the reservation who are self-quarantined and need essential supplies such as food, water, medical supplies and toiletries are encouraged to contact the Chippewa Cree Tribal Incident Command Center, the tribal resolution said.

It also said people who do not comply with the resolution might be subject to criminal prosecution and civil penalties after receiving notice from law enforcement.