April 14, 2020
As of noon today, April 14, 2020, there are 5 cases of COVID-19 in Ravalli County. 225 tests have been submitted to the labs, 220 negative, 5 positive.
Dr. Carol Calderwood, Ravalli County Public Health Officer and Incident Commander:
“Tests: People that are suspected of having COVID-19 are being tested. The question is ‘why can’t everyone get tested’? The reason; the test is good for that date in time, it is not a prediction to the future. In other words, a person could be tested, the test is negative, but a few days later they could develop symptoms. Massive testing inundates the labs that run the tests and turn-around time is critical.
For now, providers have adequate tests for patients with the right symptoms and exposures. Ravalli County test results from the lab have been returned in 2-3 days.
The last cases in Ravalli County didn’t get the virus from travel. They did get it from someone that was already diagnosed and Public Health officials know who that is.”
For now, because Public Health officials know the source, we cannot call it community spread in Ravalli County. Future cases will be identified as community spread or not.
Once identified, positive cases are isolated, and close contacts are identified and quarantined. In that way, the spread can be ‘blunted’. The cooperation we have received from our isolation and quarantine cases are truly selfless acts. A contribution to the community that has been overlooked.
Dr. Carol Calderwood, Incident Commander: “It can’t be stressed enough that now is not the time to relax what we are doing to prevent the spread. Yes, there are more cases, and probably will be more, but that doesn’t mean we can’t slow the spread: hand sanitizer for yourselves, sanitizing your car when you complete an essential travel trip, having groceries delivered, distancing, and to err on the side of caution, start wearing a cloth face cover in areas where it’s hard to maintain a distance of 6 feet.