Sanders County exceeds 1,000 Covid-19 cases

Sanders County achieved a dubious distinction last week when state officials recorded the 1,000th Covid-19 case last week.

Through Thursday, Sept. 23, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services reported Sanders County had 1,080 positive cases since it began recording data in the pandemic, which is in its second year.

Through last Thursday, the county of about 12,400 residents, according to 2020 U.S. Census figures, had 151 active cases, 16 deaths and 913 recoveries. The average is about one case for every 11.5 residents.

Montana has 10,817 active cases among the total of 146,035. The death toll stands at 1,945.

Sanders joins 27 other Montana counties with at least 1,000 positive cases.

The county’s case numbers skyrocketed beginning on Sept. 10 when 47 positive cases were charted. Sept. 15 showed 14 cases, 40 more on Sept. 16, 13 on Sept. 20 and 38 on Sept. 21. Nine cases were recorded on Sept. 23.

The county has lagged behind many in Montana with its fully immunized rate of 36%. Eleven counties have lower rates while three others are also at 36%.

While it’s not known the origin of the positive cases, the spike did occur soon after the end of the Sanders County Fair, which occurred in Plains from Aug. 31-Sept. 5.

Clark Fork Valley Hospital officials opted to forego its traditional presence at the fair, according to a social media post by hospital President/CEO Dr. Gregory Hanson.

“Unfortunately, we will not have our traditional presence at this year’s fair. As we contemplated our participation we foresaw a likely rise in active Covid cases that would require all our efforts here at the hospital,” Hanson wrote. “Being able to care for the health care needs of those that come to our doors is always our highest priority. To be assured that we can meet that goal we could not ask our staff to add additional tasks to their workload. Our staff’s work has been more difficult during the pandemic, even during the slowest times. They have served Sanders County well, but there are limits to what we can say yes to, and we did not feel we could add the fair to the list.

“We will miss this opportunity to be part of the largest community event in Sanders County. We hope that it is a safe and enjoyable time for all who participate. I must say we are concerned about the potential for the fair to be a “super spreader” event at a time that Covid infection rates are dramatically increasing, so please do your part to stay safe,” Hanson wrote.

Schools in Plains and Noxon closed and went to remote learning while also cancelling some sporting events in the wake of several positive cases among students and staff members.

Plains High School began remote learning Sept. 13 and continued it for the entire week for students in grades 9-12.

According to information on the school website, recent spikes in Covid-19 cases and the extensive list of contact traced students were the reason for keeping high school students at home and cancelling all varsity and junior varsity extracurricular activities until Sept. 20. According to Plains School, from Sept. 5-9, nine students and two staff members tested positive for Covid-19. From Sept. 13-15, six students and four staff members tested positive.

At Hot Springs, from Sept. 7-14, three staff members, a high school student, a pre-kindergarten student and two elementary school students tested positive.

The Hot Springs Early K/Prekindergarten was closed for the weeks of Sept. 13-16 and Sept. 20-23.

Thompson Falls Schools, between Sept. 8-24, had eight positive cases, including five staff members.

Noxon returned to in-school learning Monday, Sept. 27.

The effects of Covid-19, how to treat it and other factors, led to Nick Lawyer, a physician assistant at Clark Fork Valley Hospital in Plains, resigned as Sanders County’s Board of Health officer.

In his letter to the county commissioners and the Montana Department of Health of Human Services, Lawyer said “While I am disappointed in your request for my resignation I symphathize with your desire to govern Sanders County without the strife and conflict coming from a minority of people objecting to my recommendations and actions.”

The reasons for Lawyer’s decision to resign after a request by the commissioners appear to be related to more than one factor.

In a Tweet on Saturday, Sept. 18, Lawyer wrote that their request for his resignation was in part as a response to a column he wrote in the Flathead Beacon, touting the safety and effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines. He wrote that “Commissioners felt I should’ve gotten their approval before sending this and other letters.”

CBS News reporter David Begnaud also shared an interview on Twitter that he had with Lawyer.

In it, Lawyer said he was forced to resign after a local man blamed him for his wife’s death. The man accused Lawyer of preventing his wife from receiving Ivermectin, hydrochloroquine and antibodies before she died due to Covid.