Montana Gov. Steve Bullock activated a coronavirus task force Tuesday.
As of Wednesday, there were no known cases of COVID-19 — coronavirus — in Montana, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) reported.
Nevertheless, state officials are monitoring the “fast-moving situation” and getting ready for a possible outbreak.
“…We are prepared and will continue to be throughout,” Bullock said in a press release sent Tuesday.
DPHHS has been working with local health professionals to monitor 25 Montanans who recently returned from China, the governor’s press release said. One person was tested for coronavirus, but the results came back negative.
The DPHHS public health laboratory now can test for the coronavirus after receiving new test kits from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Previously, samples had to be sent to the CDC in Atlanta for testing.
Health and emergency services professionals in north-central Montana also are preparing should the virus find its way to the region.
“ .. our department along with local health care facilities have a structure/system to get an individual the care they need, and protect our community from further spread of the disease,” said Kim Larson, director of the Hill County Health Department.
On Feb. 19, Hill and Blaine county health departments, in conjunction with local first responders and clinical partners, took part in a public health update and exercises focused on potentially dealing with the coronavirus. Other participants included Hill County rural ambulance, Northern Montana Hospital and Healthcare, Rocky Boy Disaster and Emergency Management, Rocky Boy Health Center, Rocky Boy Public Health/Health Board, Fort Belknap Public Health Nursing, Blaine County Volunteer Ambulance, Blaine County Sheriff’s Office, and Chinook Police Department.
The Hill County Health Department’s primary message to the public? Wearing masks or gloves likely will not prevent the disease.
This is a point officials emphasized during a press conference Saturday at the White House and one a seemingly exasperated U.S. surgeon general echoed Monday on Twitter:
“Seriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS! They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!” Surgeon General Jerome Adams tweeted.
Other Health Department recommendations include:
- Stay home if you’re sick.
- Don’t send sick kids to school or extracurricular activities.
- Cover your face when you cough or sneeze.
- Wash your hands frequently.
- Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.
- Clean surfaces often.
The Health Department also reminds the public that it’s still influenza season and it is not too late to get a flu shot.
Anyone with questions can call the Hill County Health Department at 400-2415 or check for updates on the department’s Facebook page.
For the most updated and timely information related to coronavirus, visit the DPHHS website.
This coronavirus, which originated in China in December, infects the lower respiratory tract. People infected with it first develop a fever, cough, and aches, after which symptoms can progress to shortness of breath and complications from pneumonia. Those infected might develop nausea, with vomiting and diarrhea.
Roughly 80% of the cases have been mild, with fever and a dry cough being the most common symptoms. Many patients have recovered within a few weeks. Others are mildly ill for a few days, then rapidly develop more severe symptoms of pneumonia.
Health officials have said those most susceptible to dying from the virus are older people who have underlying conditions such as diabetes or heart or lung diseases.
The mortality rate for the new coronavirus is often cited as about 2%. Comparatively, the mortality rate for severe seasonal influenza is much lower, at 0.1%.
Here is what to do if you suspect you might have the coronavirus:
- Call and inform your health care provider or the nearest emergency room about your signs and symptoms.
- Divulge any information about recent travel or contact you may have had with a person who’s been confirmed to have the virus before going to a clinic. This will allow the provider to help decrease the spread of the illness and get the person into appropriate care as soon as possible.
As of Tuesday, the CDC reported 60 U.S. cases of coronavirus in 12 states and six deaths. But the situation is changing often, as new cases are reported regularly. The CDC said more than a week ago that additional cases were inevitable.
Nonetheless, federal officials have urged Americans to go about their day-to-day activities and not to panic.
“Americans, independent of where they live, are at low risk,” CDC Director Robert Redfield said during the White House news conference Saturday. “We need to go on with our normal lives.”
Write to Paul Dragu at [email protected]
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