HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – The Hi-Line is experiencing a significant surge in COVID-19, and its impacting the entire region.
Students at the Chester-Joplin-Inverness School District were supposed to start the school year Wednesday, but that has been pushed back to August 31st due to COVID-19 exposures among some staff members, some of which have tested positive for the virus. Superintendent Tim Bronk says they lacked the necessary staff and substitutes to open Wednesday, and hopes that enough staff will be able to clear isolation or quarantine in time for the District to open to students next week.
Havre Public Schools announced that an individual who was at Sunnyside Elementary on Wednesday has tested positive for COVID-19. Contact tracing has been completed and the building will remain open.
Box Elder Public Schools has reported two District-associated COVID-19 cases, but they remain open and are working to prevent transmission within the building.
Over on the Fort Belknap Reservation, a Public Service Announcement from Health Authorities and the Community Council on Tuesday alerted the public that they are “extremely concerned” with increased rates of COVID-19 in children under the age of 12. Since there are no COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized for that age group, the entire population 12 and under is unvaccinated.
The PSA urges the community to follow public safety measures, including “wearing a mask at all times in public places and around those not of your household.”
Also on Tuesday, the Phillips County Health Department warned the public that there is “a large amount of ill people we are identifying through contact tracing that are opting out of testing.” Testing is optional, but it helps stem outbreaks before they get out of control. They are offering free rapid COVID testing and are urging everyone to stay home if they are experiencing any potential symptoms of the virus. They also say there are some people experiencing reinfections, and are recommending that people who have gone 90 days since a COVID-19 infection get vaccinated.
According to the CDC, the entire Hi-Line, with the exceptions of Chouteau and Valley Counties, are experiencing high transmission rates of the virus.
Hospitalizations are also increasing, and Hill County reported a COVID-19 related death on Tuesday, its 47th overall and first since mid-June.
COVID-19 vaccines are free and available to the general public at your local health department, as well as Northern Montana Health Care and many pharmacies.
This post has been updated to include information from a press release from Havre Public Schools
