HAMILTON — We are learning more information about two confirmed COVID-19 cases that were reported in the Bitterroot over the weekend.
Ravalli County Public Health reports that the fourth and fifth cases are in the same family and were identified to local health officials as close contacts to a positive Missoula case. The two cases are in isolation together with family in quarantine. Public health is working closely with the family to identify all close contacts, according to a social media post.
One of the patients is a female in her 20’s who was exposed to the virus in another Montana county. The other patient is a female under 10 in the same family as a previously confirmed case.
Ravalli County Public Health further reports that to date, 218 residents have been tested with five confirmed positive COVID-19 cases.
“The positive and quarantine cases are throughout the Valley. They are not just in one community – contrary to the rumors!!” Incident Commander Dr. Carol Calderwood said.
“As more cases become known, and they will, we need to be more aware of the individual precautions we can take that do make a difference: wear masks if you put yourself in a situation that you don’t have control over distancing, use hand sanitizers – everywhere, all the time, especially when you get in and out of your car.”
There were 394 confirmed COVID-19 casesreported in Montana as of Monday morning. A seventh CVOID-19 related death in the state was also reported on Monday.