COVID-19 continues to devastate tribal communities across Montana, despite tribal leaders’ early implementation of pandemic safety protocols that often surpassed state and federal restrictions.
COVID-19 continues to devastate tribal communities across Montana, despite tribal leadersâ early implementation of pandemic safety protocols that often surpassed state and federal restrictions.Â
According to the Centers for Disease Control, Native Americans are killed by COVID-19 at nearly twice the rate of white people. And in Montana, Native Americans are 11 times more likely to die from the virus than white residents, according to a Montana Office of Epidemiology and Scientific Support study.Â
A panel of Montana tribal leaders addressed the role of systemic inequalities in COVID-19âs impact on Indigenous communities in UMâs second lecture in a series of Mansfield Dialogues on Wednesday, Feb. 3.
Region deals with a year of a deadly virus
Havre Daily News/Kimberly Bolta
A sign on the 400 Block of First Street lists the number of COVID-19-related deaths in Hill County.
Vaccine for the virus that causes COVID-19 is arriving in the area at a time when people appear to have taken actions to slow the spread of the virus following surges over the summer and a massive surge in the fall. But officials are warning people that it may be months before the vaccine is available for much of the general population, and they need to continue following recommendations - wearing masks in public settings, avoiding large gatherings, staying home as much as possible, regularly washing their hands, cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and staying home if they are ill - to keep the spread down.
Montana will not be reporting new virus cases until Saturday, following New Year s Day.
The total nearly matched Wednesday’s report of 629 cases, the state’s highest total in a week and a half. Montana has seen a downward trend in positive coronavirus cases, with reports falling by nearly 30% each of the last two weeks from the week prior, according to a USA TODAY analysis.
Cascade County saw 23 new cases Thursday, bringing its total 6,634 with 875 remaining active. Of the 81,555 positive reports in Montana since the pandemic began in March, 5,603 are active and there have been 74,991 recoveries.
Montana added 11 deaths overnight, bringing the state’s death toll to 961. There have been 791,589 total tests administered, which is 4,781 more than the previous day data was available.