Local Health Officials Confirm First Case of COVID-19 in County

Lewis and Clark Public Health confirmed on Friday the first case of COVID-19 in a county resident.

The man, in his 30s, has been instructed to remain isolated at home until he has fully recovered. The health department will release no other identifying information about the patient to protect his privacy in keeping with federal law.

"We wish this gentleman our best and hope he makes a quick and complete recovery," said Drenda Niemann, health officer. "Our nurses will be interviewing him to find out where he's been in the past two weeks and with whom he might have had direct contact. Anyone who is a direct contact will get a phone call from us with instructions for what to do."

Two weeks is considered the incubation period for the virus that causes COVID-19. That means someone who's been exposed to the virus is likely to get sick within two weeks, if at all.

Niemann said she hopes residents will continue to practice good personal hygiene and distance themselves socially to help prevent the spread of the disease now that it's officially here in the county.

"All of the messages we've been sending out over the past three weeks take on new importance now that we know COVID-19 is in our community," she added.

Information about how to protect oneself from COVID-19 is available on the health department website at http://www.lccountymt.gov/covid-19.