3 New COVID-19 Cases Confirmed in Flathead County
Statewide total rises to 354 on Thursday as Montana nears the end of its second week under stay-at-home order
By Tristan Scott
3 New Cases in Flathead County
19 New Cases in Montana
462 New Tests
354 Total Cases in Montana
34 Total Cases in Flathead County
6 Total Deaths
36 Hospitalizations
157 Recovered
7,860 Total Tests
Health officials on Thursday confirmed three additional cases of COVID-19 in Flathead County, raising the county’s total to 34 and the state’s total number of cases to 354 as 19 new individuals tested positive for the illness.
Flathead County’s new cases of the illness arrive just as local health officials confirmed evidence of community spread in the area. Earlier in the week, Flathead City-County Health Officer Hillary Hanson said six individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 reportedly had no travel history and no known contact with anyone confirmed to have the coronavirus.
Those cases mark the first instances of known community spread in the valley, though health officials suspected person-to-person transmissions were already occurring.
Gallatin County added eight new cases on April 9, raising its total to 128, the most in the state.
On Tuesday, Gov. Steve Bullock extended a statewide stay-at-home order for all Montana residents until April 24, pushing his previous directive forward by two weeks while also stretching school closures and restrictions on non-essential businesses.
Bullock also encouraged residents to wear cloth masks and face coverings in public settings in which social distancing is a challenge, such as in lines or while shopping at the grocery store or pharmacy. The recommendation follows that of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.