HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – Two schools on the Hi-Line have reported COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks, according to a report released by the Department of Public Health and Human Services on Wednesday.
Montana State University-Northern reported two COVID-19 cases in students. University spokesman Jim Potter told New Media Broadcasters they will not be providing any additional information on COVID cases, citing the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which he says prohibits them, “from releasing any personal, physical, or health related information on any of our students, faculty, or staff.”
The statement adds that, “we want to assure our local and campus communities that we are making every effort to keep our community safe.”
Malta Elementary School also recently reported two COVID-19 cases in students. The District says they were notified of the cases on September 12th, at which point they closed the school for deep cleaning and conducted contact tracing.
Malta Elementary School reopened on September 16th after concluding there was no evidence of contagion spread within the student body.
As of Wednesday, no COVID-19 cases had been reported at schools in Toole, Liberty, Blaine, Chouteau, Fergus or Valley County.
This data does not include schools with 10 or fewer students, in order to protect privacy of those individuals.
DPHHS says they will continue to release reports on COVID-19 in Montana schools every Wednesday.
