Roosevelt County Has 121 Active Cases
Montana State Number Of COVID-19 Cases Reaches 10,700
As the area COVID-19 case count climbs, the Fort Peck Tribes have begun releasing the number of active COVID-19 cases among the enrolled Native American population living on the reservation broken down by community. As of Sept. 21, there were 97 positive cases in the enrolled Native American population on the Fort Peck Reservation. Among these 97 cases, Poplar has 47; Wolf Point, 24; Fort Kipp, 13; Frazer, 10; and Brockton, 2. Oswego had no active cases.
As of Monday, Sept. 21, Roosevelt County has 121 current active cases of COVID-19. Recoveries numbered 112 and there has been one confirmed death. Total cases reported since the beginning of the pandemic equaled 233. The case count changes daily and all are encourage to visit the Roosevelt County Health Department’s Facebook page or call 653-6124 for confirmation of the official daily count to ensure compliance with the governor’s mask mandate. Both are updated by 11 a.m. daily.
As of Sunday, Sept. 20, Valley County’s active count was eight, with 52 cases listed as recovered and 60 cases overall. McCone County had no active cases as of presstime Tuesday, Sept. 22, with 19 listed as recovered. There have been no deaths recorded.
As of Sept. 21, the Phillips County Health Department was reporting two active cases. One hundred sixteen cases are listed as recovered. Three cases have been listed as involving hospitalizations, with none of those listed as active.
Statewide
According to Montana health officials, 24,641 tests were completed statewide between Sept. 15 and Sept. 22. A total of 314,009 tests have been conducted statewide since the start of the pandemic.
Of the 24,641 tests completed this week, 1,456 were positive for COVID-19, making the state’s total number of known cases 10,700 since the start of the pandemic.
Around the state, 2,600 people are known to be currently infected, which is an increase of 608 active cases from Sept. 15. A total of 584 have been hospitalized with 111 currently hospitalized.
By Tuesday, Sept. 22, 163 deaths had been reported statewide, up by 23 since Sept. 15. A total of 7,937 people are listed as recovered.
Area Schools
The Frontier Elementary School will continue distance learning for the next two weeks.
The Frazer School board voted on Sunday night, Sept. 20, to return to distance learning until Oct. 4. All staff will be in the building daily and teachers will be available to assist students. Students will be provided a packet and be required to attend Google meetings with their teachers for direct instruction.
The Fort Peck Tribes Head Start Program will not offer in-person classes through Thursday. Educational packets are ready to be picked up.
The Wolf Point School District remains in plan B with two groups of students attending school on alternating days to limit student numbers at the school.
At press time, Poplar School District and Brockton School District are in full distance learning schedules through Sept. 25.
Fort Peck Tribes
The Fort Peck Tribes moved to phase two Monday, Aug. 31, and the reservation-wide curfew is now Midnight to 5 a.m. All households are being asked to maintain 6 feet distance when not in public, no gatherings of 30 or more people, and essential travel only for medical appointments and supplies. Casinos may be open from 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. with restrictions in place.
On Sept. 22, the TEB voted in favor of a partial shutdown due to increasing threats from the COVID-019 pandemic. The following tribal departments are deemed essential and will not be required to cease operations: central finance, community service programs, corrections, law enforcement, dialysis, TSHIP, relief assistance, DES, tribal courts, tribal health and IRR. Remaining tribal departments will be considered oncall.
According to Tribal Executive Board member Jestin Dupree, enrolled individuals can submit their application online for the second disbursement for the Fort Peck Tribes COVID-19 Relief Assistance payment.” The application is available by visiting fort_peck_ tribes_cares_act_2nd_relief_ payment.formstack.com/ forms/?4027867-itNp36tlmx& fbclid=IwAR1aqWqnzxsi 93WBV5bhzzS9B0u7tpgb-Sm7GgTzHtEHVNRfhhmIiegY7gMg.
The governor’s July 15 directive for counties with four or more active cases requires face masking in any indoor space, open to the public, is mandatory for people ages five years and older. For children 2-4 years of age, face coverings are strongly encouraged. A drape may be used for babies.
County sheriffs and other law enforcement across the state have said that the mask mandate is not enforceable and violations should not be called into 911.
