GREAT FALLS — The Cascade City-County Health Department said on Monday afternoon that a second Cascade County resident has died due to COVID-19. It marks the twelfth death from this disease in Montana.
The person was a man over the age of 65 with underlying health conditions, according to a news release from the CCHD. Due to federal privacy laws and out of respect for the family, no further details will be released, according to the CCHD.
“We send our most heartfelt sympathies to the family and friends of this man,” said Trisha Gardner, CCHD Health Officer. “I hope we will all support those who are grieving by continuing taking the measures necessary to protect our community.”
The first Cascade County death was reported on April 17th; that person was a woman over the age of 65. There have been 13 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Cascade County; the CCHD said several days ago that at least eight of those patients have recovered.
As of Monday morning (April 20), there have been a total of 433 confirmed cases of COVID-19 (coronavirus) in Montana; there have no new cases since Sunday.
- There have now been 12 deaths to date. There have been five deaths in Toole County, two in Cascade County, and one each in Lincoln County, Madison County, Missoula County, Flathead County, and Yellowstone County. The official state website has not yet been updated to reflect the 12th death.
- There have now been 57 hospitalizations to date of COVID-19 patients in Montana; 19 of those are considered "active (current) hospitalizations."
- There have been a total of 243 recovered patients to date. The number of recoveries by county has not been released at this point.
- The DPHHS public health lab has completed 11,051 tests for COVID-19, including 153 tests since Sunday's update.
Click here to see the current total of confirmed cases by county.
PROTEST: Several hundred people gathered in Helena on Sunday to protest COVID-19 restrictions and closures; click here to read more.
PHASED RE-OPENING: Governor Steve Bullock said on Friday that he’s working on a “phased re-opening” of Montana, provided that the state meets key metrics that show the spread of COVID-19 is slowing. Bullock said that he’s planning to release a detailed plan next week. He’s working with his newly-created COVID-19 task force, which consists of business, public health, government leaders, and Major General Matthew Quinn, head of the Montana National Guard. Click here to read more about it.
THE REBOUND: MONTANA: We know the COVID-19 pandemic is changing our community. To keep you and your family informed as we move forward, we're beginning a new series of reports. They are stories that will help all of us navigate through these uncertain times. In the coming weeks and months, we'll be focusing on “The Rebound: Montana.” It is a series of reports, videos, and information that show our commitment to stories that will help you as our communities begin to rebound - from what you'll need to know when it's time to go back to work, to how those in the community continue to step up and help others.