Blaine County reports COVID-related death

Blaine County Health Department reported Thursday it was notified of a COVID-19-related death, taking the county’s total deaths related to the disease to 35.

The death is reported just weeks after the department reported a surge in newly reported cases in the county, with 58 new cases reported from April 19 through April 25.

The latest report listing the death said the health department was notified of one new case of COVID-19 from April 9 through April 12, with no recoveries.

It listed two active cases.

The last Hill County Health Department report, posted on its Facebook page Jan. 5, listed 74 deaths in the county.

The state has stopped updating its COVID tracking map, but the last reports available to Havre Daily News listed four deaths in Liberty County and 14 deaths in Chouteau County.

While the latest variant of COVID-19 often brings milder symptoms, the Blaine County death shows that the danger is not over.

The Blaine County Health Department release said the department is still seeing COVID-19 activity in the county.

“Symptoms include ‘feels like a head cold,’ fever, headache, diarrhea, vomiting, loss of taste and smell, fatigue, body aches, chills and shortness of breath. Also watch for ‘pink-eye’ symptoms — red, itchy, burning — as this is a new symptom being reported.

“This is a tough time of the year with the beginning of allergy season, but if these symptoms are accompanied by a fever, it’s not allergies,” the release added.

The release asks Blaine County residents to be vigilant.

“Please wash your hands, cover your cough and sneezes, stay away from sick people, stay home when you’re sick,” the release said. “All of these mitigation efforts will help control the spread of illness.”

It also asks people who test positive on a home test to contact their local health department so the department can provide them with resources they may need, such as a letter for their employer, correct timelines for isolation and quarantine periods and so on.

“We ask this so that we have a better idea of what the level of COVID-19 is in our communities so that we can help protect those individuals that may be at risk for severe disease or complications,” the release said.