Two new coronavirus cases in Missoula

Two new cases of COVID-19 were found in Missoula County on Saturday. According to the Governor’s Office, the cases involve a woman in her 30s and a man in his 50s. Both of the patients were to be isolated or quarantined, and those who came into close contact with the individuals will be monitored for two weeks.

Four cases of COVID-19 detected in Montana on Friday were acquired from out of state, Gov. Steve Bullock said in a press conference Saturday. Each of the patients are recovering at their homes, he added.

Those positive cases are in Gallatin, Yellowstone, Silver Bow and Broadwater counties.

The Gallatin patient is a man in his 40s. He acquired the virus through international travel. The Yellowstone patient is a woman in her 50s. She also acquired the virus internationally.

The Silver Bow and Broadwater cases are both men in their 50s, and each acquired the virus out of state.

The state lab will be performing testing seven days a week starting Monday, according to Bullock and the governor’s Coronavirus Task Force lead Adjutant General Matthew Quinn. The state currently has the capacity to test approximately 850 individuals and anticipates receiving more tests from the CDC as needed.

Bullock’s office also said that Montana’s state of emergency has been amended to align with the federal state of emergency announced by President Trump on Friday. This means that Montana’s emergency response will be in effect so long as federal authorities believe there is a continuing threat. The emergency order allows the governor to mobilize all available state resources, such as emergency funds or personnel from the National Guard.

Bullock called on the public to help mitigate the virus’ spread.

“I can’t stress enough the importance of the role of the public in helping us mitigate the impact of this virus,” Bullock wrote in a Facebook post Saturday. “The small sacrifices we make now – missing out on a canceled event, avoiding crowds and enjoying time with small groups of healthy family and friends, and staying home if you feel sick – means keeping more folks healthy in the long run.”

According to CDC, the elderly and people who have severe chronic medical conditions are at higher risk for more serious COVID-19 illness. Early data suggest older people are twice as likely to have serious illness. Reported illnesses in the U.S. have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death. Symptoms may appear two to 14 days after exposure, including fever, cough, and shortness of breath, according to CDC.

According to the Governor’s Office, starting Monday the task force will open a State Emergency Coordination Center – a multi-disciplinary team that will report directly to Quinn and will be on full-time duty to bolster response efforts, Bullock said. The team will be located at Fort Harrison in a centralized location.

The task force has launched an informational phone line at 1-888-333-0461 and Montanans can also email questions to covid19info@mt.gov. State public health officials will be responding to inquiries from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.

A website has also been set up to keep the public apprised of Task Force actions at COVID19.mt.gov.