Blackfoot Nation officials may extend shut down again

As COVID-19 cases on the Blackfeet Reservation continue to hover around 300 active cases per day, tribal officials say the current reservation-wide mandatory shut down might be extended a second time if the community cannot gain control of the virus in the coming days.

The entire reservation first shut down on Sept. 27 for what was then expected to be a 14-day period. But the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council, per the advice of local health experts, then extended that timeline for an additional week, to Oct. 25 at 11:59 p.m., after COVID-19 cases skyrocketed despite widespread closure and quarantine measures.

When the council decided the shut down should be extended an additional week, the reservation had 299 active cases - the same number that was reported by the Blackfeet COVID-19 Incident Command Center on Monday.

And according to Blackfeet Nation spokesperson James McNeely, over the past week, that active case number has held steady between 300 and 350 active cases. McNeely said tribal and health officials are re-evaluating measures on a weekly basis and said a second extension to the shut down is being considered.

“What we are experiencing here is similar to what is happening in the state of Montana and really in most other parts of the nation,” McNeely said. “Cases are blowing up and we really need people to follow COVID guidelines and to take the shut down seriously.”

McNeely said 13 individuals have died from the virus in recent weeks and over the past weekend, hospitalization numbers hovered around 30 patients.

Although the outbreak is far from under control, he did say the area is well-stocked on food supplies, which have been distributed to households and individuals when needed.

According to McNeely, an official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention came to the reservation on Monday to evaluate the area’s needs and develop action plans for the immediate future. For regular updates on the reservation’s outbreak, go to the Blackfeet COVID-19 Incident Command’s Facebook page.

Reporter Kianna Gardner can be reached at 758-4407 or kgardner@dailyinterlake.com