HELENA — There were 1,038 new COVID cases reported in Montana on Friday, September 24, with a current total of 10,817 active cases in the state, according to the Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services (DPHHS). Information from DPHHS at this point does not include data on whether new cases occurred among vaccinated or unvaccinated people.
The number of Montanans who have died due to COVID is now 1,945, an increase of 15 since the total reported on Thursday, according to DPHHS. There have been 68 deaths due to COVID reported this week in Montana.
The number of people currently hospitalized due to COVID is 416, an increase of 14 since Wednesday. The cumulative number of hospitalizations in Montana due to the virus is 3,222.
An estimated 52% of eligible residents are now vaccinated, with 483,161 Montanans now considered fully vaccinated. If you want to get vaccinated, contact your county health department, or click here.
COUNTIES WITH THE MOST NEW CASES
- Yellowstone County: 165 New, 2,526 Active
- Missoula County: 145 New, 1,375 Active
- Flathead County: 124 New, 854 Active
- Cascade County: 74 New, 1,237 Active
- Lewis & Clark County: 64 New, 541 Active
- Gallatin County: 60 New, 821 Active
- Ravalli County: 52 New, 444 Active
- Lake County: 46 New, 255 Active
- Lincoln County: 43 New, 321 Active
- Park County: 22 New, 168 Active
There have been 146,035 cumulative cases of COVID in Montana. The cumulative number of recoveries is now 133,273. There have been 9,217 COVID tests administered since Thursday.
The information above is from the DPHHS website and is current as of Friday, September 24, 2021. The state website has county-specific data on vaccination rates, new/total cases, and more.
Great Falls Public Schools announced today that beginning Monday, September 27, it will require all students, staff, and visitors to Great Falls Public Schools to wear masks in school and at all school events. Click here for details.
- COVID mitigation options limited due to new state laws
- New DPHHS rule aims to ease strain on MT hospitals
- MT Board of Pharmacy issues rule to help with vaccines
Governor Greg Gianforte announced this week he is sending Montana National Guard troops to several hospitals to help with their COVID response:
- 10 to St. Peter's Health in Helena
- 10 to Billings Clinic (already has 10 Guard members)
- 6 to St. James Healthcare in Butte
- 10 to St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings
- 24 to Missoula County
- 10 to Bozeman Health
- 20 to Benefis Health System in Great Falls
The Guard members will support staffing with non-medical ICU assistance, environmental services, patient data entry, and COVID testing, according to the governor's office.
Montana is not the only state deploying National Guard troops to help hospitals - other states include Idaho, Wyoming, Oregon, Kentucky, and Tennessee.