Rocky Boy sets curfew mandate, Chouteau County confirms first local COVID-19 cases

With more COVID-19 cases confirmed by Rocky Boy Health Center and Chouteau County Health Department reporting this afternoon it has its first confirmed local cases of COVID-19 in the county, Rocky Boy has set an emergency curfew mandate.

Rocky Boy's Chippewa Cree Business Committee this afternoon approved an emergency curfew mandate, requiring all residents of Rocky Boy to remain at home outside of essential or emergency reasons. The curfew is in effect until Monday unless extended past that date.

The full order can be viewed online at https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=2929138563876112&set=pcb.2929068987216403 .

Rocky Boy Health Center said that today the center confirmed seven new cases of COVID-19.

The center confirmed seven cases Thursday, eight Wednesday, and five July 7, bringing the total confirmed by Rocky Boy Health Center to 27 cases, the post said. The post told Rocky Boy residents not to come to the health center to be tested unless they had been contacted and told to do so.

Chouteau County Health Department said today it had confirmed its first local cases of COVID-19

The department previously had confirmed a case from someone visiting the county from out-of-state, and had quarantined people who had been in close contact with that person. It announced that those people had been released from quarantine.

The new cases are not related to the previous out-of-state resident confirmation, the health department said in a post on its Facebook page this afternoon.

The Chouteau County cases are the first local cases confirmed in the county.

The Chouteau County Health Department post said everyone who needs to quarantine has been notified.

"Please be aware and take all personal precautions to keep yourself and your family safe," the post says. "Social Distance, wash your hands or use sanitizer, don't touch your eyes, nose or mouth, wear a mask where social distancing is not possible, stay away from large gatherings and disinfect high touch surfaces regularly.

"If you have questions that don't involve the identity or location of these cases please feel free to call the Health Department at 622-3771 Tuesday through Thursday from (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.), the post says.

The number of confirmed cases have been increasing in the region.

Hill and Liberty counties each had confirmed one case in March, with no more confirmed cases coming in the next few months.

Since the start of July, Hill County has confirmed 23 new cases and, in the last week, Blaine County has confirmed four new cases.

Liberty County has not confirmed any new cases as of March.

Watch for updates here and for more in Monday's edition of the Havre Daily News.