Montana adds 106 new COVID-19 cases (Saturday, July 18)

Health officials added 106 new COVID-19 cases to the Montana Response COVID-19 tracking map Saturday morning, with 1,359 cases reported as active.

The highest number of new reported cases on Saturday is 30 in Yellowstone County. Gallatin County had the second-highest new case count with 19.

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 Saturday, July 18:

• TOTAL CASES & RECOVERIES: There have now been 2,471 cumulative cases statewide, and 1,075 people have recovered from the virus.

• HOSPITALIZATIONS: There are currently 46 patients hospitalized. There have been 164 hospitalizations due to COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

• ACTIVE CASES: The state reports there are currently 1,359 active COVID-19 cases in Montana.

• TESTING: The number of tests increased by 1,475 over the previous 24-hour reporting period, for a new cumulative state-wide total of 131,879.

• 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.

As a reminder, please follow your local County Health Department’s recommendations, wash your hands as instructed, and stay home if you have any cold or flu-like symptoms.

In Montana, prevention is the treatment.