HARDIN - Big Horn County Health officials announced Friday morning they have confirmed four additional COVID-19 cases.
According to a press release, the additional cases were confirmed Thursday evening and were not found as a result of recent sentinel surveillance testing events.
The four new cases involve a male and female teenager, a female in her 60s and a male in his 60s.
The state reported earlier Friday morningthat Big Horn County had added six additional cases.
Here is more from the press release:
Eight (8) of the earlier confirmed-positive patients have recovered. Of the remaining eight (8) patients, seven (7), including three (3) of the newly-confirmed patients, are quarantining and recovering at home. One (1) of the newly-confirmed patients is hospitalized.
The Big Horn County Public Health Department and Indian Health Service (IHS) Public Health Nursing are tracing the contacts of these new cases. All close contacts will be notified, interviewed, and given instructions for further action if required.
“With the success of our recent sentinel surveillance testing events, during which over 1,600 residents were tested, as test results are confirmed at the labs, we anticipate additional confirmed positives in Big Horn County,” said George Real Bird III, Chairman of Big Horn County Board of Commissioners and the Big Horn County Public Health Board. “The 16 cases in this press release represent people who live, work, and shop in every area of our County, including our major towns. COVID-19 is a County-wide issue and the precautions prescribed by our healthcare professional remain critical to containing the spread of this deadly virus.”
Sentinel surveillance testing is random testing of members of a community to determine spread of a particular disease and is particularly useful in finding asymptomatic cases of COVID-19. A patient is asymptomatic when they show no outward signs of the disease.
IHS Public Health Nursing and Big Horn County Public Health wish to remind all residents of Big Horn County of the best ways to prevent the transmission of this illness: stay home; wash your hands thoroughly and often; clean and sanitize frequently touched surfaces and items; wear a mask when in public; stay at least six (6) feet away from other people; and avoid travel out of the County if at all possible. And if you are feeling sick, do not go to work or leave your home; rather, contact your healthcare provider for guidance.
Tracking down contacts to a positive case is one of the best tools public health can use to slow the spread of the virus. If you believe you were in the presence of a recently confirmed COVID-19 case for more than five (5) minutes, please call public health so that a nurse may interview you and determine what level of exposure you have:
· IHS Public Health: (406) 638-3478
· Big Horn County Public Health: (406) 665-8720
