HAMILTON — Three new confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported ion Thursday afternoon in the Bitterroot.
Karyn Johnston with Ravalli County Public Health also says it's been determined there is now community spread of COVID-19.
She stated in a news release that the health department has not been able to trace one case back to travel or exposure to another case.
Ravalli County had a total of six active cases as of Friday.
One of the new cases is in a resident in his 60's who developed symptoms following exposure to a positive case identified on June 23.
The second case reported Thursday as a woman in her 20's with recent travel outside the state.
The third case is in a resident in her 50's with no known travel or identified exposures.
Johnston noted that not all of the active cases are counted by state health officials due to some of them involving out-of-state residents.
She is reminding people that the best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus.
Anyone with questions or concerns about COVID-19 can contact Ravalli County Public Health at (406) 375-6672.
People can take the following steps to slow the spread of COVID-19:
- Maintain good social distance (about 6 feet). This is very important in preventing the spread of COVID-19.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
- Routinely clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face covering when around others.