43 Residents at Billings Care Facility Test Positive for COVID-19

Canyon Creek Memory Care Community in Billings announced on Tuesday that 43 residents and 15 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19. Two of the residents who tested positive were admitted to the hospital, according to a statement on the facility's Facebook page.

The health care facility was put under quarantine and residents and their families were notified of the situation. Also in the statement, Canyon Creek Memory Care said,

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, we have closely monitored and implemented all guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and from state and local health departments to prevent transmission of the virus.

Preventative measures in place when the testing was conducted included: limiting visitation to only essential persons or in end of life situations, the screening of every individual upon entry to the community (including staff) for temperature, travel history, or known exposure and an increase in both food and PPE supply stock.

A total of 59 Canyon Creek residents and 55 staff were tested. Seven residents and 25 staff tested negative. They are currently awaiting results for nine residents and 15 staff.

These are part of the spike of positive COVID-19 cases in Montana. 80 new cases were added to the state's total on Tuesday along with two hospitalizations (both from the Canyon Creek facility) to give the state a total of 22 current hospitalizations for the coronavirus.

Gallatin County is reporting three more positive cases, but no hospitalizations.