BUTTE — The Butte-Silver Bow Health Department announced Wednesday three additional COVID-19 deaths in Butte-Silver Bow.
The fatalities involve two men in their 70’s and a woman in her 60’s, according to Health Officer Karen Sullivan.
According to Sullivan, as of Wednesday morning, Butte-Silver Bow had 197 active cases of COVID-19 – with 43 of those cases, or almost 22% of the total active cases – ages 17 and younger. Of those 43 cases, 26 were ages 11 or younger, and therefore ineligible to be vaccinated. Median age for all active cases is 35.
Those seeking a COVID-19 test may call Southwest Montana Community Health Center at (406) 723-4075. Testing is also available at select area pharmacies, and home tests are now available over the counter.
Sullivan said those testing positive at home can seek guidance from the Health Department at (406) 497-5008 or (406) 497-5041. Testing is also available through St. James Healthcare, with drive-through testing near the St. James Healthcare Foundation building occurring weekdays at 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. A provider order for testing is required.
Testing is also available through the Butte Native Wellness Center, 55 E. Galena, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays, and 8 a.m. to noon Thursdays and Fridays. Testing may be coordinated at 782-0461.
The Montana Tech community – faculty, staff and students – is asked to seek testing through orediggerrx@mtech.edu.
As of Wednesday, the Health Department was reporting 55 newly confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, a test positivity rate of 7.8%, and 90.22 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population. The Harvard Global Health Institute says that communities sustaining more than 25 cases per 100,000 population should be implementing mitigation measures, such as mask-wearing and social distancing.
The CDC lists Butte-Silver Bow’s transmission rate as high.