MT announces 8 new cases of COVID, 6 in Big Horn County

HELENA, Mont. (AP) - The state health department announced eight now cases of COVID-19 out of more than 1,700 tests that were run on Thursday.

Six of the cases were from Big Horn County with one each in Gallatin and Missoula Counties, officials said Friday.

The six new cases in Big Horn County were not connected to the surveillance testing of over 1,600 people completed this week, said Rhonda Johnson, public information officer for the county. The county reported three new cases from tests that were run on Wednesday and has 15 of the state’s 28 known active cases.

The county still expects to have more positive cases when results of the surveillance testing are returned, said George Real Bird III, chairman of the county’s health board. He urged people to wear masks, wash their hands and follow social distancing guidelines.

Montana has 493 known cases of COVID-19. Two Montana residents remain hospitalized and 17 people have died.