People urged to vaccinate to keep COVID, flu numbers low

As the numbers of reported COVID-19 cases dwindle in some parts of the area and surge in others, people are being urged to get vaccinated or boosters for COVID, and influenza and to get the booster designed to fight the omicron variant of COVID-19.

New COVID cases have continued to be reported in the area, although the number of new hospitalizations and deaths have gone down in some counties but increased in others.

The state case map updated Friday listed 25 new cases in the previous week in Chouteau County, with 34 active cases.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists one new hospitalization in the county in its update Sunday.

The last data available to Havre Daily News showed 14 COVID-19-related deaths in Chouteau County, as of June 3.

Liberty County was listed with “medium” transmission rate with 12 new cases reported in the previous week and 13 active.

Havre Daily News’ last available data, June 3, showed four deaths in Liberty County.

Numbers in other areas in the region are going down.

Blaine County Health Department reported Tuesday that from Saturday through Tuesday no new cases were reported and 16 recoveries were listed, leaving the county with no active cases confirmed and no hospitalizations. The level of transmission there was listed as “high.”

The county remains at 34 COVID-19-related deaths, where it has been since June.

Blaine County Health Department reported Friday that in the 11 days from Sept. 20 through Friday it was notified of 29 new cases with 21 recoveries and 16 active cases.

Hill County Health Department reported Monday that from Tuesday, Sept. 27, to Monday Hill County saw 15 new confirmed cases. The county had two active cases and no active hospitalizations, and remained at 74 deaths.

The omicron variant now driving the COVID pandemic seems to be less deadly than previous variants, but it still is causing deaths and hospitalizations across the U.S. and across the world.

Health officials are urging people to get vaccinated for COVID if they are not vaccinated, and to get a booster shot with the bivalent booster specifically designed to be more effective against the omicron variant.

And health officials also are urging people to get vaccinated against the flu — which can be done at the same time they receive a COVID vaccination or booster.

Levels of the flu have been low for the past two years, but officials are concerned, especially as life gets back closer to normal and fewer people are wearing masks and socially distancing, the numbers could jump this fall and winter.

Officials are concerned the same could happen with COVID as people spend more time indoors and in larger groups. Vaccination and boosters are crucial to keep COVID and flu numbers down, they say.