Local COVID-19 cases, including related to Havre schools, and COVID-19-related deaths continue to increase

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and COVID-19-related deaths continue to rise in the state, with more cases including cases related to Havre Public Schools and more deaths reported in this part of north-central Montana.

The reports come as Gov. Steve Bullock announced an existing state form has been updated for people to use to report violations of COVID-19 directives.

Hill County Health Department reported three new COVID-19-related deaths Friday, bringing the total in the county to 21 deaths, and Blaine County Health Department reported this afternoon the fourth COVID-19-related death there.

With the recent upsurge in cases, Havre Public Schools went back to distance learning, as Harlem and Box Elder Schools had done after cases associated with their districts were confirmed.

New cases in people associated with the Havre district still were confirmed Friday, with Havre Public Schools reported eight new cases.

The school district reported five new cases confirmed by Thursday evening and three more reported Friday. That brings the total in cases associated with Havre Public Schools since the first case was reported Sept. 20 to 37 cases.

Havre Public Schools has a HPS COVID-19 Cases page on the district website at http://www.blueponyk12.com .

Hill County reported a total of 31 new confirmed cases Friday and 11 more this evening, bringing the total in the county to 712 cases, 268 active and 15 active hospitalizations.

The full update for Blaine County was not available by the time this story was filed.

Friday evening, Blaine County Health Department reported four new cases for a total of 266 with 139 active cases, 13 active hospitalizations that day.

This morning’s update to the state COVID-19 response tracking map said Chouteau County had no new cases, with 84 total cases, 36 active and 48 recovered.

Liberty County also had no new cases listed on the tracking map, with all cases there, 28, listed as recovered.

The map this morning listed the total number of new cases reported in the state Friday as 647, far fewer than the 863 listed Friday morning and the new record listed Thursday morning at 932 new cases, but this morning’s update still is higher in one day than the total the state had accumulated from March through June 1, 519 cases.

The total cases listed today on the state tracking map was 27,142 cases with 9,412 active cases, 348 active hospitalizations and 294 deaths.

Bullock announced Friday that the Consumer Complaint Form used to report food borne illnesses and other public health and safety issues to the state Department of Public Health and Human Services has been updated to allow people to report violations of COVID-19 directives.

“The Consumer Complaint Form will allow citizens to report their concerns about businesses and events that have not enacted the directives intended to protect everyone,” Bullock said in a press release. “All Montanans deserve a safe community and healthy environment, and reporting these concerns means we’re looking out for each other.”

Concerns submitted through the website will be reviewed by DPHHS and sent to the appropriate local authority for review and investigation, the release said. The information received will allow the state to track cases with numerous complaints and follow up on the most egregious ones.

The Consumer Complaint Form is available at: https://dphhs.mt.gov/publichealth/FCSS/ConsumerComplaintForm .