More local COVID-19 cases, deaths reported

With the state topping 33,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases Sunday including a record-breaking 1,063 new cases listed Friday, more COVID-19 cases and COVID-19-related deaths continue to be confirmed in the area, with the Hill County Board of Health imposing some new restrictions starting Wednesday.

The Hill County Health Department tracked the average number of new cases per day last week, with the order pre-approved if the goal of averaging 50 cases a day per 100,000 people — a little more than eight per day in Hill County — nearly doubled last week.

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Sweet Home in Chinook reported its first confirmed cases and its first COVID-19-related death Thursday evening.

Sunday, it reported the long-term care facility has 21 positive residents and eight positive staff members, and reported its second COVID-19-related death.

Northern Montana Care Center in Havre reported its first case, in a staff member, in September and numerous cases in residents and staff members, as well as multiple COVID-19-related deaths, have been confirmed in that facility since then.

Hill County Sunday evening reported 10 new confirmed cases — its lowest in weeks — for a county total of 897 confirmed cases, 295 active with 22 active hospitalizations and 23 deaths.

Blaine County reported nine new cases for a county total of 362 with 125 active cases and 15 active hospitalizations and eight deaths.

And the cases have been hitting schools in the area.

North Star Schools, which normally runs on a four-day school week with Friday off, closed its elementary school in Gildford Thursday due to a newly confirmed case.

The district announced Saturday that North Star intends to return to full in-person instruction for this week.

“However, in the interest of being transparent, there are a number of outstanding tests that may change that decision for all or some students over the weekend or early next week,” the release said. “This messenger system will be used to inform parents and students if changes arise.  As always, please keep your students home if they have any signs of COVID or contacts with a potential case.  Please wear masks, wash your hands, and avoid large crowds.”

Box Elder Schools is still in distanced learning with its board last month voting to extend distanced learning that was put in place in September.

That decision will be revisited at the board’s next meeting, Nov. 16.

Rocky Boy Schools has remained in distanced learning for the entire year, with its board voting to remain in that mode the end of September, when a switch to a hybrid in-class model was being considered.

Hays-Lodge Pole Schools is in distanced learning, along with Fort Belknap Indian Reservation being under a high-level of restrictions..

Other local schools have not reported having to end in-class learning so far.

Both Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation are on restrictions.

Harlem Public Schools, which had gone from in-class learning to remote only when cases spiked in Blaine County, has returned to its hybrid in-class model.

Havre Public Schools, which had started the year in a hybrid model with some students split, some attending class some day and others on other days, temporarily went back to distanced learning last month but resumed in-class learning on the hybrid model last week.

The Havre district reported another school district-associated COVID-19 confirmation Sunday, although the person had not been in contact with others in the district since Oct. 14 and has been in quarantine so contact tracing is not required.