KALISPELL — The Flathead City-County Health Department is now reporting non-resident COVID-19 cases as tourists start flocking to the Flathead Valley.
The updated case dashboard includes a separate section tracking active non-resident COVID-19 cases -- along with active Flathead County resident cases.
Flathead County Health Officer Hillary Hanson says the new information gives residents full transparency regarding COVID-19 in the Flathead Valley. Hanson says that in most cases non-residents with confirmed COVID-19 will quarantine in Flathead County before traveling back home.
She also told MTN News that residents should expect to see an uptick in confirmed COVID-19 cases entering peak tourism season.
“People in our community are having more interactions which means more chances of being exposed to COVID-19, so we do expect those numbers to continue to rise and we want to make sure that people are taking the appropriate precautions, and informed in their decision making," Hanson said.
She noted that the best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is practicing social distancing, wearing a mask while out in public, and staying home if you’re feeling sick.
The Montana Response COVID-19 tracking map was reporting on Wednesday an additional two new cases in Flathead County. There are currently four active COVID-19 cases in the county -- including one in a non-resident.
A total of 35 confirmed COVID-19 cases have been reported to date in Flathead County including two deaths.