Roosevelt County/Fort Peck Tribes See Dramatic Rise In COVID-19 Cases

As shown on the adjoining graphs accompanying this article, Roosevelt County/Fort Peck Tribes experienced a sharp increase in reported COVID-19 cases. The ages of cases are spread among all age groups.

According to Helen McCaffrey, Montana Department of Health and Human Services epidemiologist assigned to assist Roosevelt County/ Fort Peck Tribes:

•The number of COVID-19 cases in Roosevelt County have increased dramatically since Sept. 4.

•The age distribution of cases in Roosevelt County does not differ from that of the state as a whole. Persons between 21-30 years of age account for 23 percent of cases in Roosevelt County.

•The increase in cases follows state trends. The entire state as also seen record reports of cases Thursday, Sept. 17, 217; Friday, Sept. 18, 224; and Saturday, Sept. 19, 293.

•The rise in cases statewide can be attributed to people feeling weary of precautions, gatherings over the Labor Day holiday and to schools being back in session.

•There have been 157 deaths of COVID-19 statewide. According to the DPHHS Montana Flu Summary, which was released April 17, 17 deaths due to influenza were reported for the 2019-2020 season.

Seeing the graphs makes observers want to speculate about what causes have influenced the large number of cases. These causes include:

•Public health nurses find Coronavirus disease in families, then the families have visitors, then the disease spreads throughout the communities.

•Social events such as those taking place in bars, in parks and sleepovers.

•Low numbers of recovering cases means that active cases are taking quite a lot of time to recover from their symptoms.

•A noticeable number of residents are not following the advice of public health workers to isolate or quarantine.

•Schools starting and sports teams back in action.

•Unnecessary travel outside the jurisdiction.

•The ability to track contacts since it is very time-intensive for public health workers.

•Residents not following the governor’s mask mandate and other basic COVID-19 prevention measures.

Please don’t get weary in the midst of this pandemic. The COVID-19 virus will find us when we do.

For more information, call the Roosevelt County Health Department at 653-6223. An information line is updated daily Monday through Friday at 653-6124. See our Facebook page at Roosevelt County Health Department for the situation update released Monday through Friday.

Further statewide and local information on COVID-19 can be found on page three of this issue of the Northern Plains Independent.