VIDEO: Missoula Co. COVID-19 daily briefing - May 21, 2020

MISSOULA — Missoula County COVID-19 Incident Commander Cindy Farr offered up the latest information on the coronavirus in today's briefing.

There are still 41 reported COVID-19 cases in Missoula County which remains unchanged since April 22. One COVID-19 related death has been reported. Local health officials say that 40 people have now recovered and there are currently no active COVID-19 cases in isolation.

Farr discusses how health officials conduct contact tracing in Thursday's briefing.

It should be noted that the Missoula City-County Health Department often finds out results from private labs and updates numbers before the state and there are also differences in reporting criteria, so the local numbers may differ from those that appear on the Montana COVID-19 tracking map.

For example, the state does not report epidemiologically linked cases. Cases that are “epi-linked” developed symptoms while in quarantine after being identified as close contacts to cases that tested positive. Epi-linked cases are isolated and monitored by public health, just like lab-confirmed positive cases.

Same-day testing is available based on resources at the Missoula County COVID-19 Testing Center. The testing clinic’s same-day service still requires an appointment, but no referral or prescription is needed.

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 should recognize they are at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 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.

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.

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.

We know the COVID-19 pandemic is changing our community. To keep you and your family informed as we move forward, we're beginning a new series of reports. They are stories that will help all of us navigate through these uncertain times. In the coming weeks and months, we'll be focusing on “The Rebound: Montana.”

It is a series of reports, videos, and information that show our commitment to stories that will help you as our communities begin to rebound - from what you'll need to know when it's time to go back to work, to how those in the community continue to step up and help others.