Most new Hill County COVID-19 cases in teens to 30s

Hill County Public Health Director and Health Officer Kim Berg said in a report given to the Havre Daily News that the majority of the county’s cases of COVID-19 are in people in their teens to 30s, and she believes the area has some community transmission.

The report says, however, that the department has found connections between the recent cases.

It says Hill County, as of last Thursday at 5 p.m. has 12 active cases of COVID-19 with two active hospitalizations.

Fifty-two people are now in quarantine and are being monitored by the health department, the report says.

Berg’s report says the number of people fully immunized for COVID-19 is 4,621 but the state estimates over 12,000 people are eligible in the county so only 37 percent of the eligible population is vaccinated.

Health experts believe that herd immunity for COVID-19 is between 70 and 90 percent.

The report said the department is offering the Moderna vaccination the third Tuesday of every month from now on with May 18 being the first day, and asked that people call 406-400-2415 to get scheduled.

It also says the department is hoping to have some Pfizer at its office within the next month if the storage requirements change, which is also a possibility.

Pfizer is asking for an emergency use authorization for their vaccine to be able to be used in those 12-15 years old and the report says the department is expecting to see that as early as next week.

The next Hill County Board of Health COVID-19 update, where Berg’s reports are read, will be May 21 at 1 p.m.