MISSOULA — Ravalli County health officials have reported another positive coronavirus case Friday evening.
The newest case, according to Ravalli County Public Health, is related to travel.
As of 6 p.m. Friday, Ravalli County had six active cases of COVID-19, including one hospitalization.
Two of those cases are out-of-state residents. Those cases will not appear on the Montana COVID-19 Response Map.
The patients include a woman who is 60-70 and hospitalized, two women and one man who are ages 20-30, a female 10-20 years old, and another woman who is 50-60.
All cases are isolated and contacts are quarantined, according to a press release.
The state of Montana now has over 100 active cases of COVID-19. To date, 546 Montanans have recovered.
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Montana has been seeing a statewide spike in the number of COVID-19 cases recently, prompting Gov. Steve Bullock to say on June 17 that people still need to be taking steps to limit the spread of the disease.
Gov. Bullock said part of the increase in cases may have come from a change in how they respond to reported cases. Health leaders are now testing all close contacts of anyone who tests positive, rather than only those who show symptoms.
Montana has begun statewide testing of individuals who are asymptomatic for COIVD-19. The testing -- through an initiative by Gov. Steve Bullock -- is completely free to the individual and paid for by the State of Montana.
Gov. Bullock also announced on June 4 that Montana will be expanding COVID-19 relief grant opportunities to help small businesses, local governments and help get more Montana meat to people’s tables.
Montana moved to "phase two" of Gov. Bullock's "Reopening The Big Sky" plan on Monday, June 1. Bullock noted that Montana continues to have the lowest number of positive COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations per capita in the nation.
Bullock outlined the following indicators which prompted him - in consultation with public health officials and disaster response personnel - to move into Phase Two beginning on June 1:
- A downward trajectory of positive tests as a percent of total tests within a 14-day period.
- The current ability to contact and trace, along with plans to add additional contact tracers to the existing workforce.
- Ensuring that health care workers have the supplies they need to treat COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients.
- Ramping up testing capacity to eventually meet a target of 60,000 tests a month and prioritizing testing for vulnerable Montanans and tribal communities. A total of 5,600 tests were conducted last week. Increased testing continues with sentinel testing efforts in nursing homes and assisting living facilities, testing events in tribal areas, and drive through testing being conducted at a few sites.
Here are some of the highlights of phase two:
- Avoid gatherings in groups of more than 50 people in circumstances that do not readily allow for appropriate physical distancing. Groups larger than 50 people should be canceled unless physical distancing can be maintained. It is recommended to continue to social distance in gatherings of any size.
- Restaurants, bars, breweries, distilleries, and casinos remains in the same operations status as Phase One, but with an increase to 75% capacity.
- Gyms, indoor group fitness classes, pool, and hot tubs can operate at 75% capacity and only if they can adhere to strict physical distancing and they exercise frequent sanitation protocols.
- Concert halls, bowling alleys, and other places of assembly may operate with reduced capacity and if they adhere to strict physical distancing guidelines.
- All businesses are required to follow the social distancing and sanitation guidelines established in Phase One, and Montanans are strongly encouraged to continue sanitation practices, including hand washing and wearing masks in public places like grocery stores.
