MISSOULA — Ravalli County Public Health reported on Tuesday that six of nine pending tests have been confirmed by the state lab as positive for COVID-19.
There are still three tests pending connected to this investigation.
The individuals are all male. Four of them are in the 10-20 age range with the other two in their 60’s. These seven new cases are being classified as a cluster outbreak, meaning they were all together. The seventh case was confirmed over the weekend for a man between the age of 50 and 60.
In total, Ravalli County has now seen 12 positive cases, seven of which are active.
Early investigation indicates that travel played a role in their infection. The first case is currently hospitalized and the other six patients are isolated at home.
The agency said in a Facebook post:
- Public health has been conducting interviews and have identified all individuals that had any risk of exposure. They have all been extremely cooperative. We understand the communities need for information but are obligated to protect the identities and health information of these individuals. We do not seek to punish or judge anyone unfortunate enough to contract the virus. COVID does not discriminate. Individuals sick or exposed are asked to comply with control measures to protect the health of our community. Their safety is a priority to public health. Without their cooperation we would be unable to interrupt the cycle of transmission. Our numbers are low because of their sacrifices. We are so grateful to the people of this county that take personal responsibility for the health and safety of us all.
Ravalli County Public Health continues to investigate and to date have placed more than 30 identified contacts in quarantine.
The following was published earlier on Tuesday, and does not include the Ravalli County cases referenced above:
Montana added one new COVID-19 case Tuesday, according to the Montana Response COVID-19 tracking map. The new case is a Yellowstone County woman in her 80s.
The state is reporting a cumulative total of 471 cases. MTN News is reporting one fewer total cases due to a case in Jefferson County that health authorities say involved a patient who was not in the state.
Three more people have recovered from the virus in the last 24-hour reporting period, bringing the total number of recoveries to 437. There are 18 active cases in the state currently.
The number of people currently hospitalized stands at five, an increase of one from the day before. The number of deaths remains at 16.