Montana's COVID surge continues

The increase in COVID-19 numbers in Montana continues, with the state tracking map update - the first since last Friday - reporting almost 4,000 new cases with 13,476 active cases - more than a 10,000 active case increase since the end of December with almost 30,000 new cases confirmed in the state in fewer than three weeks.

Local updates for Hill and Blaine counties were not released on the federal holiday Monday, but numbers in previous updates are increasing rapidly.

The state tracking map today listed 10 new cases in Chouteau County and 12 in Liberty County.

And the impacts in the region continue.

While Havre schools Sunnyside Intermediate and St. Jude Thaddeus planned to re-open their classrooms today following St. Jude closing last week and Sunnyside going to remote learning, other schools like Hays-Lodge Pole are closing, for at least Jan. 18-28 there. And Fort Belknap Indian Reservation has gone back to its Phase 1 restrictions including curfews, mask requirements and limited numbers of employees at businesses and tribal programs along with mask requirements.

The nation continues to see a surge in cases, hospitalizations and deaths, although numbers are dropping in some parts of the country.

CDC reported the United States had 874,087 new cases confirmed Friday with a seven-day running average of 798,335 up from 672,415 the Friday before, more than 100,000 more new cases a day on the running average.

The number of daily deaths in the nation also is rising, with Friday seeing 2,596 deaths with a seven-day average of 1,784, up from 1,220 new deaths the last day of December, which had a seven-day average of 1,151 daily deaths.

With the ongoing surge, people are asked to test if they have been in any large gatherings in the past couple of weeks and if they have any symptoms, and to stay home if they feel ill.

The message from public health on the national-, state- and local-level has remained the same for the past year. Vaccination is the best way for people to protect themselves and their loved ones.

The vaccines for COVID-19 have remained effective at preventing hospitalization and death throughout the pandemic and the rollout of boosters for the vaccines provide an extra layer of protection that drastically reduces the chances of people getting seriously ill.

Aside from vaccination, much of the same procedures are still recommended to slow the spread of the virus, including omicron. Wearing masks while in public areas is still a key way to slow the spread of - and reduce the chance of contracting - the virus, with recommended masks still effective at reducing the spread of the variants of the virus, including omicron.

Avoiding being in large groups of people outside of a person's household when possible also will reduce the chance of contracting the virus, as will regular handwashing and people covering their coughs and sneezes with a tissue or their elbow.

In Hill County, vaccinations and booster shots are available through Bullhook Community Health Center, 406-395-4305; the Hill County Health Department, 406-400-2415; Northern Montana Health Care's Specialty Medical Center at 406-265-7831 or its Family Medical Center at 406-265-5408; Western Drug Pharmacy, 406-265-9601; Gary & Leo's Pharmacy, which takes walk-ins; Walmart; and the Rocky Boy Health Center 406-395-4486.

The Blaine County Health Department, 406-357-2345, and the Fort Belknap Health Center, public health nurse 406-353-3250 and pharmacy at 406-353-3104, can schedule vaccinations and booster shots.

Vaccine is available in Chouteau County at the Chouteau County Health Department, 406-622-3771, and Big Sandy Pharmacy at 406-378-5588.

People can call Liberty County Health Department at 406-759-5517 to schedule a vaccination.