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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rhonda Johnson, Public Information Officer, Big Horn County (406) 679-0572 Big Horn County Announces 56th Death from COVID-19 Decedent is a woman in her 80’s HARDIN, MONTANA (December 14, 2020) – Big Horn County today announced the 56th death of a County resident due to complications from the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The decedent is a woman in her 80’s who was hospitalized prior to her death Saturday, December 12, 2020. It is with deepest sympathies that the Big Horn County COVID-19 Response Unified Coalition sends our condolences to her family, friends, and the entire community of Big Horn County on her tragic death. This is the 8th death recorded in December. The County’s fatality rate is 2.7% (56 deaths out of 2,041 total cases), although it is significantly higher at 18.4% (30 deaths out of 163 total cases) for persons age 70 and older. Month Number of Cases Number of Deaths April 3 - May 27 - June 44 3 July 249 5 August 357 8 September 294 7 October 456 17 November 473 8 December (12/13/2020 to date) 138 8 Total since Pandemic Began 2,041 56 With the holiday season, it is more important than ever to follow the three W’s: Wash your hands; Watch your distance from other people; Wear a mask. The County asks all residents to please continue stay home more often and to avoid events or gatherings. Also, the Board of County Commissioners and Board of Public Health ask everyone to wear a mask and social distance when outside of their homes and in public. Masks are required when engaged in indoor activities, such as shopping. Masks are not necessary in the event that residents are outdoors and unlikely to come within six feet of other people, such as while taking advantage of our beautiful county, to work, recreate, or exercise outside. Tracking down contacts to a positive case (contact tracing) is one of the best tools public health can use to slow the spread of the virus. If you believe you were in the presence of a recently confirmed COVID- 19 case for more than five minutes, please call public health so that a nurse may interview you and determine what level of exposure you have: • IHS Public Health Nursing: (406) 638-3478 • Big Horn County Public Health: (406) 665-8720 ---PAGE BREAK--- Page 2 of 2 Big Horn County is the sixth largest county in Montana, at approximately 5,023 square miles, and with a population exceeding 13,000. The local government was established January 13, 1913. Hardin is the County Seat. For more information about the County’s COVID-19 response, please visit our Facebook page at