MISSOULA — Local health officials are reporting another confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) case.
The Missoula City-County Health Department reports that there are now 26 confirmed cases as of Thursday morning.
The previous total in Missoula County has been 25. There has been one COVID-19 related death in Missoula County and 14 people have recovered.
As of Thursday morning there were 354 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Montana and six deaths had been reported.
Local health officials note that their numbers may differ from what the state is reporting, as they often find out results from private labs and updates numbers before the state.
The Missoula County COVID-19 info line can be reached by calling (406) 258-INFO weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Additional local information about the coronavirus situation can be found here.
The health department has opened a drive-thru nasal swab testing site for COVID-19 at the Missoula County Fairgrounds.
The facility can only be accessed by people with an appointment. Due to limited testing supplies, people have to fall into priority 1 or priority 2 categories in order to be tested.
The health department is continuing to emphasize the importance of social distancing, which means avoiding crowds and providing distance between yourself and another person when interacting.
Businesses, groups, and other organizations are encouraged to find different ways of delivering services and holding meetings and events.
Whenever possible, stay home, limit exposure to large crowds, and use technology to meet your needs. Anyone who is in the vulnerable population recognize that you are at higher-risk, and should limit exposure as much as possible.
There are mental health resources and information available for residents who are in need of help. Click here for details on what services are available.
Local health officials note that Missoula County is seeing signs of community spread, meaning we have cases where their exposure can no longer be traced to another positive case or connected to travel.
Anyone who has arrived in Missoula County after having traveled out of state in the past 14 days is asked to contact local health officials at (406) 258-3896. This applies to all travel, including vehicle travel.
Gov. Steve Bullock’s orders closing public schools and requiring people to stay home -- except for essential activities -- has been extended until April 24.