Gallatin County Coronavirus UPDATE

The Gallatin City-County Health Department (GCCHD) issued a press release on Thursday to update residents on what is happening locally concerning the coronavirus. As of right now there are zero cases of the 2019 novel coronavirus in Gallatin County or Montana, according to the GCCHD.

So far, five individuals who returned from mainland China were monitored and were determined not to have the virus after testing. One individual required a medical evaluation and was determined not to have coronavirus after testing. That patient, and all others, have completed monitoring with no coronavirus concerns identified.

“It is welcome news that we don’t have cases of 2019 novel coronavirus in Gallatin County or Montana,” said Matt Kelley, Health Officer with Gallatin City-County Health Department. “That said, we will continue to work with community partners to monitor the situation nationally and internationally and to prepare to respond as needed.”
Kelley noted that the emergence of 2019 novel coronavirus has generated significant anxiety as scientists work to understand the virus, how it spreads, and the severity of illness caused by the virus. “We still don’t know everything we need to know about the virus,” Kelley said. “Fortunately, we do know that many of the things we do every year to protect against influenza will also be useful to manage coronavirus.”

Here's some steps the GCCHD recommends to protect yourself against illness and contribute to the national effort to slow down disease spread.

• Washing your hands frequently and thoroughly throughout the day, covering your cough or sneeze, and staying home and consulting a healthcare provider when you do become sick.
• While the influenza vaccine won’t protect against coronavirus, getting the vaccine is an important way to avoid becoming ill.
• Eat nutritious foods, exercising, drinking plenty of water, and getting plenty of sleep.