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    Home / College Guide / Montana seeing remarkable increase in cases, state disease bureau official says
     Posted on Wednesday, September 23 @ 00:00:18 PDT
    College

    Another 275 COVID-19 cases and the COVID-19 related deaths of four more people were reported Tuesday morning in Montana, bringing the states active case total to 2,600 people and the death total to 164 people. The 275 is second highest number of cases Montana has added in a day, just behind Saturday when the state added 293. A week ago, the state had 1,954 active cases. Two weeks ago, 1,992 active cases were reported in Montana. After linear case growth statewide from mid-July through August, case reports have climbed significantly in mid-September, according to an analysis published Tuesday by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. That analysis, put together by the Communicable Disease and Epidemiology bureau of DPHHS relies on information current as of Sept. 18. Jim Murphy, the head of the DPHHS communicable disease bureau, said during a Tuesday morning press call that when case growth over the summer stabilized, it was at a rate of about 800 cases per week. So, just over the two months where we were stable, Montana added 70% of the 10,000 cases weve experienced, so fairly rapid growth Murphy said. After this stabilization though, last week showed a remarkable increase in cases.

    So we actually had an increase of 490 cases last week over the week prior, which brought us to 1,249 cases last week alone, so an all-time high. The increase of almost 500 cases reported over the previous week came from increased reporting in 19 of the states 56 counties. Of those counties, Murphy said six counties — Deer Lodge, Rosebud, Flathead, Roosevelt, Missoula and Yellowstone — made up 75% of the increase in reported cases. Yellowstone County, for example, was up 125 cases reported over the previous week. Its really important for us to look at the epidemiological data because it tells us a lot about where we have been, and gives us an understanding of where we might go, and thus allows us to put together some strategic planning to help prevent disease, prevent undue suffering and prevent even deaths, said Dr. Gregory Holtzman, the states medical officer. Holtzman added that COVID-19 deaths recently made it into the top 10 causes of death this year in Montana, surpassing motor vehicle fatalities. Motor vehicle fatalities have been a top health concern in Montana that has led to laws, public education and other efforts to prevent suffering and death caused by them, Holtzman said.

    While we all have COVID-19 fatigue, we need to work together. Like any sports teams there will be ups and downs along the way. But unless we work together, the chance of meeting our goals and preventing untimely suffering and death goes down significantly, he said. Montana doesnt have to experience huge outbreaks like parts of the rest of the country have seen, Holtzman said. Holtzman, along with Gov. Steve Bullock and other officials attending the press conference, encouraged people to follow public health guidelines intended to slow the spread of COVID-19. For your fellow Montanans, for your health, for the economy, we need to do it all for each other. Otherwise Im concerned we might see some of the outbreaks and stresses on the hospitals that weve seen in Texas, Florida and many other states around us, Holtzman said. In his remarks, Bullock described a document he received Monday from the White House Coronavirus Task Force. A portion of the weekly report was provided to The Billings Gazette by the Governors office. The report, dated Sept. 20, offers a summary of Montanas COVID-19 situation and recommendations for governors to follow. The summary noted that with 101 or more new cases per 100,000 population, Montana is in the red zone for cases and has the 18th highest rate of new cases in the country.

    The state also had a test positivity rate last week of between 8% and 10%, which is the seventh highest positivity rate in the country, per the report. Among Montana counties, 27% have moderate or high levels of community transmission and 9% have high, red-zone levels of community transmission. To slow the spread of the virus, the report recommended the state: Intensify public health messaging. Ensure surge capacity testing so that 50 to 100% of the student body at colleges and universities can be tested over a 14-day period. Implement a plan for increased surveillance using antigen tests. Develop weekly surveillance testing as capacity allows among teachers, staff at long-term care facilities, prison staff, public transportation workers and first responders Increase testing in long-term care facilities in Billings, Bozeman or Missoula. The report also recommended fining people who do not follow the face mask mandate in high transmission communities. Bullock shied away from supporting a fine, instead encouraging Montanans to double-down on other preventative measures. Now we do things the Montana way here, Bullock said. And we arent going to start encouraging the issuing of fines. But I think the point here ought to be clear enough.

    We all need to do our part in wearing masks and find ways to encourage others to do the same, something that the vice president himself and other senior administration officials too are encouraging and echoing. Stacey Anderson, the lead epidemiologist with DPHHS communicable disease control and prevention bureau, acknowledged that some of the recent case growth is the result of Labor Day activities. All age groups had an increase in cases, but the increase was significant in certain groups, Anderson said. As of Sept. 18, 62 schools representing all levels of education had reported cases, Anderson said. In some instances recent cases are associated with people attending what Anderson described as social events. Anderson said looking at data from the week ending Sept. 4 versus the week ending Sept. 18, there has been a 90% increase in cases reported among people younger than 19, which is considered the school-age group. In the 20-39 age group there was a 50% increase in cases reported when comparing the week ending Sept. 4 with the week ending Sept. 18, according to Anderson. Generally, some of the increased case growth in the state is associated with social events including parties, family gatherings, and socializing at bars, Anderson said.

    Congregate settings, which include schools, are also showing an increase in cases, she said. The DPHHS report shows that the state had seen 1,051 cases in congregate settings as of Sept. 18. Those 1,051 cases stretching back months have been spread across 154 different institutions, including schools, assisted living facilities, long-term care facilities, correctional facilities, group homes, mental health facilities and independent senior living facilities. Case counts for congregate settings include both residents/students and staff. Correctional facilities account for more cases than any other setting, with 302 cases. Assisted living facilities have had 256 cases. Long-term care settings have had 225 cases. Schools have had 209 cases. Yellowstone County has had 30% of the congregate setting outbreaks in the state, per the report. Thats the highest share of any county in the report. Flathead County has had 16% of the states congregate setting outbreaks followed by Cascade with 7% and Gallatin with 5%. As of Sept. 18, the state had 98 active congregate setting outbreaks. The report also provides information on the route of transmission for 4,299 COVID-19 cases in Montana. For another 5,864 cases, or 57% of the cases in the state at the time of the DPHHS analysis, the data was unavailable and the cases were currently under investigation, according to the report.

    The most common route of transmission identified in the report is clusters, which account for 31% of the cases in the state. Cluster transmission means a case is part of a known cluster of cases. Contact with someone not in a persons household or in a known cluster is the second leading route of transmission, accounting for 24% of cases for which data is available. Household contacts make up 20% of case transmission. Community transmission makes up 18% of cases. In those instances a case could not be linked to other known cases. Traveling out of state during the incubation period is associated with 6% of the known routes of transmission. Health care-associated infections account for less than 1% of transmissions, according to DPHHS. People age 20-29 account for the highest percentage of cases in the state with 23%, followed by people in their 30s, who account for 17% of the cases in the state. People in their 40s account for 13% of the cases in the state and people in their 50s account for 12% of the cases in the state. Cases have been distributed evenly between males and females. The analysis looked at 7,232 cases with known race at the time of the case report and found that 73% of cases were people who identified as white.

    People identifying as American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander made up 24% of cases. Native Americans make up about 7% of the states population. People identifying as Black or African American accounted for 1% of cases. People identifying as Asian account for .5% of cases, according to the analysis. The analysis also notes among 95% of all cases with ethnicity information available, identify as non-Hispanic and 5% as Hispanic. As of Sept. 18, DPHHS reported the greatest number of deaths in Montana among people in their 70s. In that age group, 619 people have been infected, 424 have recovered and 42 people have died. Among the 284 people in Montana their 80s infected with COVID-19, 164 had recovered and 41 had died. Among people in their 90s, 72 had been infected, 33 had recovered and 22 had died. Among people in their 60s, 1,062 had been infected, 791 were recovered and 32 had died. Among people in their 50s, 1,255 had been infected, 950 were recovered and 10 had died. Among people in their 40s, 1,336 had been infected, 996 were recovered and seven had died. Among people in their 30s, 1,736 had been infected, 1,313 were recovered and three had died. As of Tuesday the state has reported 10,700 COVID-19 cases.

    Of those people infected, 7,937 are considered recovered, according to Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services data. Two of the people whose deaths were reported Tuesday were Yellowstone County residents, where 61 people have now died, including 15 in the month of September. Another person whose death was reported was a Rosebud County resident, where 18 people have now died as a result of COVID-19. Rosebud County has the third highest number of COVID-19 deaths in the state, behind Big Horn County with 22, and Yellowstone County. The fourth death reported Tuesday was a Big Horn County resident. The man was in his 70s and had been hospitalized before he died Tuesday morning, according to Rhonda Johnson, the countys public information officer. His death was not reflected Tuesday on the states case mapping and information website. The three counties of Yellowstone, Rosebud and Big Horn have had 61% of the deaths in the state, but account for less than 20% of the states population. The same three counties have 45% of the states active cases and 40% of all cases reported in Montana since March. The Yellowstone County residents who died were men in their 70s and residents of unidentified senior living facilities.

    Both men died Monday while hospitalized in Yellowstone County. Another 2,747 new tests had been completed by Tuesday, bringing the total number of tests completed in Montana to 314,009. Among counties reporting new cases Monday, Cascade County added the most with 59 cases for an active case total of 337. Cascade County has the second most active cases in the state. A week ago Cascade County had 205 active cases. Two weeks ago it had 182. Yellowstone County added 20 new cases for a total of 802 active cases. A week ago Tuesday the county had 671 active cases. Two weeks ago it had 806 active cases. Flathead County, which has the third highest number of active cases, reported 38 cases for an active case total of 252. A week ago the county was reporting 135 active cases. Two weeks ago the county had 151 active cases. Rosebud County reported one additional case for 237 active cases, compared to 326 a week ago and 233 two weeks ago. Roosevelt County, which has the fifth highest number of active cases in the state, reported another 31 cases for 142 active. A week ago the county had 48 active cases. Big Horn County added 25 cases for 134 active. A week ago Big Horn County had 114 active cases.

    Two weeks ago the county had 142 active cases. Active hospitalizations increased by three from Monday to 111. A week ago 109 people were hospitalized. According to the DPHHS analysis, the median age of people hospitalized is 64. Those who did not require hospitalization had a median age of 35. Of people infected in the state with COVID-19 10% of Native Americans and 10% of Black people required hospitalization, compared to 6% of people who identify as white, according to DPHHS. In Montana 584 people have been hospitalized due to COVID-19. Other counties reporting additional cases Tuesday include: Gallatin with 26 (70 active) Silver Bow with 18 (78 active) Jefferson with 10 (21 active) Dawson with six (13 active) Stillwater with four (15 active) Missoula with three (121 active) Ravalli with three (12 active) Richland with three (five active) Fergus with two (eight active) Pondera with two (three active) Sheridan with two (seven active) Carbon with one (10 active) Custer with one (27 active) Hill with one (29 active) Lake with one (28 active) Lewis and Clark with one (28 active) Lincoln with one (four active) Park with one (11 active) Phillips with one (three active) Sweet Grass with one (two ative) Valley with one (nine active) Wheatland with one (three active) According to the states Joint Information Center, county, gender, age range and date reported information for the cases announced Tuesday is as follows: County

     
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