Health officials added 62 new COVID-19 cases to the Montana Response COVID-19 tracking map Saturday morning, with 1,421 cases reported as active.
The highest number of new reported cases on Sunday is 20 in Yellowstone County. Gallatin County had the second-highest new case count with 18.
The highest number of new reported cases on Sunday is 20 in Yellowstone County. Gallatin County had the second-highest new case count with 18.
Note: Numbers reported by the state each day occasionally differ from those reported by county public health departments due to periodic lag times in reporting data to the state. MTN News counts the updated data individual counties report throughout a given day. The numbers below are from the Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services on Sunday, July 18:
- TOTAL CASES & RECOVERIES: There have now been 2,533 cumulative cases statewide, and 1,075 people have recovered from the virus.
- HOSPITALIZATIONS: There are currently 47 patients hospitalized. There have been 165 hospitalizations due to COVID-19 since the pandemic began.
- ACTIVE CASES: The state reports there are currently 1,421 active COVID-19 cases in Montana.
- TESTING: The number of tests increased by 1,280 over the previous 24-hour reporting period, for a new cumulative state-wide total of 133,159.
- DEATHS: The cumulative number of deaths in Montana is now 37. On Thursday, Lewis & Clark County health officials reported its first COVID-19 related death. The second new death reported Friday is connected to Canyon Creek Memory Care, a Billings senior care facility struggling with a deadly outbreak of the virus. Five other deaths have been reported this week in connection with Canyon Creek. There have been six deaths in Toole County, four in Yellowstone County, four in Big Horn County, two in Cascade County, and two in Flathead County. The other deaths have been reported in Gallatin, Lincoln, Madison, Ravalli, Missoula, and Big Horn counties.
Governor Steve Bullock announced on Wednesday a statewide directive requiring face coverings/masks in Montana. The directive is effective immediately in counties that have four or more active cases of COVID-19.
The directive requires that masks be used in most indoor settings and where social distancing cannot be maintained. Bullock said businesses will have the right to deny entry of anyone not wearing a mask.