Southwest Montana News

DREW TURIANO FOR CONGRESS issued the following announcement on July 29.

Montana officials announced two more deaths due to COVID-19 on Wednesday, bringing the total number of deaths related to the respiratory virus in the state to 54. More than half of the deaths have happened since July 6.

During a press conference in the governor’s office Wednesday, state officials addressed young people’s role in the pandemic and the importance of face coverings in slowing the spread of the virus.

Caty Gondeiro, a 23-year-old from Helena, tested positive for COVID-19 in early July. She spoke during the press conference.

"I think it’s really important that people my age, in the 20-29 age group to understand that we’re driving the spread of this."

According to the latest state health department analysis of COVID-19 cases, people in the 20 to 29 age group make up 28 percent of all cases in Montana - the most common age group infected with the virus.

The analysis says no one in the age group has died from the virus in Montana and persons who required hospitalization for COVID-19 are generally much older than those who did not need hospital care.

Montana schools preparing to reopen this fall have until this Friday to apply for the first round of funding to cover costs associated with the pandemic.

Gov. Steve Bullock said during today's press conference that public and accredited private schools can request the aid. The $75 million dollars available to help schools reopen comes from the federal CARES Act.

The money can be used for adapting schools and helping students, parents and educators create a place for students to learn amid the complications of COVID-19.

A second deadline for the funds is August 14. The governor says payments will be made to schools in August.

Montana election officials are calling on Gov. Steve Bullock to allow counties the option of running the November election by mail. Bullock said Wednesday that he’ll decide by August 10.

"Those discussions will be occurring soon to ensure that they have enough time to prepare for a safe election."

Montana clerks and recorders made a similar request to conduct the June 2 primary by mail due to concerns of crowds at polling places and exposure to the novel coronavirus. Bullock agreed and every county opted for all-mail ballot elections.

According to the Secretary of State’s office election calendar, ballots must be sent to military and overseas electors by September 18. Other absentee ballots must be available for in-person voting by October 5.

Update 07/28/20, 5:30 p.m.

The Montana health department announced 41 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday. Two counties announced deaths from COVID-19. The Yellowstone County health department says a woman in her 90s died at a Billings hospital on Saturday. The woman's death was the 18th in 20 days in the county. Lincoln County on Sunday received report of a COVID-19 related death there, a man in his 80s.

Montana's total number of reported cases is nearing 3,400, and 61 people are hospitalized. More than 1,200 people are still infected.

The Montana University System’s Board of Regents finalized COVID-19 guidelines for public higher education across the state today. Work to coordinate how those guidelines will play out is ongoing.

The guidelines for the 16 universities and colleges within the state’s higher-ed system cover everything from campuses’ ability to mandate face coverings to how schools will isolate students who test positive.

The Board unanimously voted in favor of the guidelines and gave University System Commissioner Clayton Christian the ability to adapt those guidelines as conditions in the state change.

With just three weeks to go until classes start, Deputy Commissioner Brock Tessman says officials are still working on strategies for testing and educating students on new protocols and rules.

"This is probably going to be the biggest student-based communication campaign we’ve ever engaged in. I think that highlights how important it is to our campuses to make sure students understand what it’s going to take."

Most campuses across the state will begin classes the third week of August.

Original source here.