For the better part of Montana’s coronavirus outbreak, many have focused their attention on how more populous counties will handle their outbreaks: Gallatin, Missoula, Yellowstone, Flathead. But in the last two weeks that focus has grown to include Toole County along the rural Hi-Line, which ranks fifth in the most positive cases in Montana.

The number of positives in the area reached 18 on Thursday — a cumulative figure that, according to the Toole County Health Department, includes the county’s three fatalities, four recoveries and one hospitalization. As of Friday, 11 of the 18 individuals are still COVID-positive and are recovering in quarantine or isolation with the exception of the hospitalization.

The county’s total prompted a visit this week from Gov. Steve Bullock and Maj. Gen. Matthew Quinn, leader of Montana’s coronavirus task force. According to a press release from the Toole County Health Department, the two made several stops in the Shelby area on Thursday, including one at the Marias Heritage Center.

The center is an assisted-living facility in Shelby where, in late March, the county’s health department confirmed employees at the location had tested positive for coronavirus, which “also exposed others to COVID-19 and, as such, we expect that there could be other positives,” a press release stated. It continued, “the appropriate detailed surveillance, interventions, and containment strategies are underway and appropriate steps will be taken.”

Shortly after the Toole County Health Department announced the positive cases in the facility, the Montana Nurses Association put out a call for additional nurses and other staff to make their way to Shelby to help after multiple health-care employees were moved into isolation or quarantine. The call had described the situation as “dire,” and according to Robin Haux with the Nurses Association, the post received a strong and immediate response.

The Marias Health Center in Shelby is the only critical-access hospital in Toole County. The facility has around 20 licensed beds — enough for the area’s current outbreak if the number of hospitalizations remain low and the beds remain adequately staffed.

A recent update from officials with Kalispell Regional Healthcare said the hospital is in contact with neighboring hospitals and recently helped facilitate the development of a Unified Incident Command system to coordinate communications and operations for COVID response in Glacier, Toole and Pondera counties.

“In addition we’ve provided the expertise of our infectious disease physician specialist, nursing staff, laundry services, environmental services staff and supplies to facilities in the region,” a press release states.

As of Friday, Montana’s Department of Public Health and Human Services reported the state has 365 positive cases total. Of these individuals, 165 have recovered, six have died and there are currently 29 active hospitalizations.

Toole County’s 18 positives thus far include one individual under the age of 19, nine individuals between the ages of 20 and 59, and eight individuals between the ages of 60 and 99, a range the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers high-risk for COVID.

Kianna Gardner can be reached at 758-4407 or kgardner@daliyinterlake.com