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Public health updates COVID case count due to confusion

Beaverhead County Public Health updated the total and active coronavirus case counts locally Thursday, due to continued confusion caused by a state of Montana mapping error.

Face coverings required in Montana

Businesses, organizations and public offices in Montana counties that have four or more active coronavirus cases must use face coverings or masks and require it for customers, visitors, employees and volunteers, effective immediately.

County clocks five active virus cases

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Beaverhead County has five active cases of the coronavirus, and six overall positive cases, the public health department said Tuesday.

Public health reviews potential Labor Day options

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Labor Day events organizers laid out plans for how they could continue to have a county fair, concert and rodeo during the coronavirus pandemic at a Friday public health board meeting.

Dillon History Days not history

Fears of what the not-so-distant future may hold in relation to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic continue derailing events all over the world.

Second, larger community testing event postponed

A larger community-wide coronavirus testing event set for Dillon History Days is postponed, as the lab processing test results is overwhelmed, officials said late Tuesday.

Public health officials canceled the July 24 daylong asymptomatic community testing, which had intended to test 2,000 people. The unnamed laboratory is working with the state Department of Emergency Services (DES) on these types of testing events, but cannot accept more asymptomatic tests at this time.

Public health hopes to reschedule the testing event.

UPDATED: County has five active COVID cases

There were four new COVID-19 positive cases confirmed over the July 11-12 weekend, Beaverhead County Public Health announced. The total number of cases in the county sits at 6, with five active.

Public Health officials corrected the county Monday afternoon on Facebook, as one of the previous cases was determined to be a resident of another state.

UPDATED: Third positive COVID case tallied in Beaverhead

A third Beaverhead County resident is confirmed to have contracted COVID-19.

The newest case is a male in between age 10 and 19, according to state of Montana data. A Beaverhead County Public Health press release indicated the individual is being isolated and close contacts are being traced. It is unknown at this time how he contracted the virus.

Public Health Director Sue Hansen reminded residents to be cautious and remain vigilant as the pandemic continues.

Virus spike at assisted living facility prompts testing push

An 80-person-positive coronavirus case spike Tuesday – with over 50 of those from one assisted living facility in Billings – prompted state officials to now require elder care facilities to conduct sentinel testing or they will not be allowed to have visitors.

Community testing coming

Beaverhead County Public Health will hold community-wide free drive through COVID-19 testing for asymptomatic (no symptoms) individuals. The first event will be 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, July 10 at Beaverhead County Public Health, 41 Barrett St. Tests will be administered until all test kits are used. The test results are expected between three - five days later.