Coronavirus updates – Week in review March 24 - March 31

Below is a summary of the new information about local and statewide closures, restrictions and accommodations due to the coronavirus as of Tuesday morning, March 31. Information changes daily, sometimes hourly. Please follow the Seeley Swan Pathfinder website (seeleylake.com) for Breaking News for our area.

For the most up-to-date and accurate information, please refer to the Missoula County-City Health Department website http://missoula.co/cvirus or call 406-258-INFO (4636) Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Other resources include regularly updated information for Missoula City-County Joint Information Center, http://covid19.missoula.co/, state information at http://covid19.mt.gov and the CDC website https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

LOCAL INFORMATION:

• The Seeley Lake Water District office, located at 281 Rice Ridge Road, is closed to the public through April 12. All other Water District business will continue as usual and Water District employees will continue working during this time. Payments can still be made by calling the office, by mail, online at https://seeleylakewaterdistrict.org/ or by putting them in the Water District drop box at Rovero's. For more information please call the office at 406-677-2559.

• I Ride Seeley Lake is still available for regular medical appointments and can be scheduled by calling 406-916-7860. However, I Ride will not be transporting passengers with any symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough and/or shortness of breath). This includes transportation to receive testing for COVID-19. For individuals with COVID-19 symptoms, please call your primary care provider. If it is an emergency situation call 9-1-1. For questions, contact the Seeley Lake Community Foundation, 406-677-3506.

• Update from Partnership Health Center regarding the Seeley-Swan Medical Center: Testing supplies are limited across Montana. Patients who meet criteria for COVID-19 testing can be tested at Seeley-Swan Medical Center. Tests are sent to the state lab in Helena and results are available approximately 48-72 hours later. To protect our community and staff we encourage patients to call 406-677-2277 before coming in if possible. Dental Services at the Medical Center will treat only dental emergencies or urgent dental needs until further notice. If you are unsure if your need is urgent, please call the Medical Center 677-2277. For updated information regarding PHC's COVID-19 response visit https://www.partnershiphealthcenter.com/covid-19-updates.html 

STATEWIDE UPDATES:

• As of March 30, there are 177 cases of COVID-19 in Montana including 12 hospitalizations and four deaths. Missoula County has 12 cases and is now seeing signs of community spread.

• Monday, March 30 Governor Steve Bullock directed that travelers arriving from another state or country to Montana for non-work-related purposes undergo a 14-day self-quarantine. The Directive applies both to Montana residents and non-residents entering the state for non-work-related purposes. It requires a self-quarantine for 14 days or the duration of a non-work trip to Montana-whichever is shorter. The Directive also instructs the Montana Department of Commerce to advise vacation listing and rental sites that they must notify potential out-of-state renters about the quarantine requirement. Health care workers are excluded from the Directive. Further, the Directive authorizes the Montana National Guard to conduct temperature checks at Montana airports and rail stations and screen for potential exposure history for travelers arriving in Montana from another state or country.

• On March 26, Governor Steve Bullock issued a Stay at Home Directive requiring Montanans to stay home and temporarily closes all nonessential businesses and operations to curtail the spread of COVID-19. The order, which went into effect March 28 – April 10, will buy time for health care workers on the frontlines and seeks to limit long-term impacts to the state's economy. Under the directive, Montanans may leave their homes for essential activities, including: For health and safety, for necessary supplies and services, outdoor activity, for certain types of work and to care for others. The Directive prohibits all public and private gatherings of any number of people occurring outside a household or place of residence.

• On March 24, Governor Steve Bullock issued a Directive to extend closures of public schools and dine-in food service and alcoholic beverage businesses through April 10 and mandate social distancing measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Montana. Non-essential social and recreational gatherings of individuals outside of a home or place of residence of greater than ten people are prohibited, if a distance of at least six feet between individuals cannot be maintained. Retail businesses are also required to establish, implement, and enforce social distancing policies to ensure a minimum of six feet between customers, effective March 28.