Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Big Horn County Announces First COVID-19 Related Death

Nurses administer a nasal swab to test people for the COVID-19 illness at a surveillance testing event in Crow Agency May 27, 2020.
Nicky Ouellet
/
Yellowstone Public Radio
Nurses administer a nasal swab to test people for the COVID-19 illness at a surveillance testing event in Crow Agency May 27, 2020.

A county in southeast Montana is issuing a new round of health orders after two dozen cases of the COVID-19 illness were recently identified there through testing.

Big Horn County also announced its first death from the illness June 5.

The county health officer’s order allows health officials to quarantine or isolate people infected with or exposed to the novel coronavirus. It also reverts dine-in establishments, bars and casinos back to 50 percent seating capacity and sets a 12:30 A.M. closing time, requires all businesses to check employee temperatures prior to shift starts and requires employees at food-service and hospitality businesses to wear masks.

Big Horn County’s restrictions come just days after the state entered into phase two of its economic reopening plan.

Montana is reporting 53 active, lab-confirmed cases of the COVID-19 illness. A rash of new cases were reported this week after several weeks of relative calm.