As of Monday, June 29, 2020, Montana reports 919 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with a new single day record high number of cases at 56, eclipsing the previous record of 35. Of Monday’s 56 new cases, fourteen were in Yellowstone County, thirteen in Gallatin County, nine in Glacier County, six in Flathead County, four in Ravalli County, two in each of Custer and Richland Counties, and one new case in each of big Horn, Cascade, Granite, Lincoln, Stillwater, and Valley Counties. Statewide, 100 people have been hospitalized, and thirteen people are currently being treated in the hospital for COVID-19. Gallatin County has had 253 cases so far. 22 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Nationwide, more than 128,000 Americans have died.

It’s been one month since the state moved into the second phase of a gradual reopening June 1, with higher capacity at bars and restaurants and the end of a 14-day travel quarantine for those coming to or returning to Montana. Over the last few weeks, Montana has seen a significant increase in confirmed cases. The seven-day average of cases reached the low 20s over the last week. For comparison, that number was in the single digits or less than one for two months: from April 15-June 16. While the state has not paused any activities allowed under Phase 2, counties and tribal nations are allowed to enact further restrictions. Big Horn County last Friday implemented an order requiring mask use when outdoors in situations that do not allow for social distancing. The Blackfeet Tribe in northwestern Montana has decided to keep the east entrances to Glacier National Park closed after an increase in cases there.

Parties, not protests, are causing spikes in coronavirus cases. As the U.S. begins to open back up, coronavirus clusters — where multiple people contract COVID-19 at the same event or location — are popping up all over the country. And despite drawing massive crowds, protests against police violence and racial injustice in Washington state were not among those clusters, largely because most participants in protests wore face masks. States have been using contact tracing to learn how person-to-person contact is contributing to the spread of the virus. For instance, a public health department in Washington State found that 14 cases were associated with a party of 100 to 150 people in early June. Then, 15 more cases were associated with the original 14 partygoers. So that one event spread to 29 people and 31 related employers. But protests just are not spreading the disease in the same way.

And cases are increasing in younger people. Florida’s COVID-19 cases have increased fivefold in just 2 Weeks. Much of Florida’s new surge in cases appears to follow from the reopening of beaches, bars, restaurants and other social activities, and the median age for COVID-19 patients dropped from 65 years old in March to 37 years old in late June. That’s because younger people are gathering together, not taking precautions, and transmitting the virus among themselves, and then others.

In Montana, the Blackfeet Nation and Glacier County officials said Sunday night on social media that nine new cases of COVID-19 have been reported, bringing the county’s total to 18. The people who tested positive were isolated. They said 12 of those 18 cases remain active.

Gilead Sciences, the American pharmaceutical company producing remdesivir, the FDA-approved antiviral drug being used to treat severe cases of COVID-19, will charge more than $3,000 for the course of treatment, with $520 per dose. The amount that patients pay out of pocket depends on insurance, income and other factors. The drug will actually be offered at a lower price outside the U.S., CNBC reported. In 127 other countries, Gilead is allowing generic makers to supply the drug; two countries are doing that for around $600 per treatment course. “This is a high price for a drug that has not been shown to reduce mortality,” Dr. Steven Nissen of the Cleveland Clinic said. “Given the serious nature of the pandemic, I would prefer that the government take over production and distribute the drug for free. It was developed using significant taxpayer funding.”

Free COVID-19 testing is available in Bozeman. The testing is being offered only with appointments at Price Rite Drug. You can book an appointment online at priceritedrug.com. It’s drive-through, no-touch testing. You do not get out of your car or go into the pharmacy; you self-administer with a nasal swab. Once the sample kit is sealed, a staff person submits the test to the lab for processing. Tests are offered Monday-Friday by appointment only, with test results back in 3-5 days.

In Bozeman, Reach Incorporated, an organization that’s been providing services to adults with developmental disabilities, is keeping its no visitors policy in place. Reach clients have been sheltering in place, with no in-person contact beyond their housemates and staff, since March 16th. On June 24th, Governor Bullock updated his directive for visitation to nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and long-term care facilities, loosening previous restrictions. Governor Bullock’s mandate left decision-making to each county. Reach, Incorporated will keep visitor restrictions in place. The Gallatin City-County Board of Health and Reach are working on a protocol for visitors, but for now, especially with rising case numbers of coronavirus infection, no visitors are allowed.

The European Union will prohibit visitors from the United States when it reopens to travelers on July 1 due to the fact that the U.S. has not brought the coronavirus outbreak under control. The news comes just after the United States reported 36,880 new cases on Wednesday, a record for a single day. The United States had 2.45 million confirmed coronavirus cases, more than any other country in the world. Second is Brazil, with 1.23 million confirmed cases, followed by Russia with nearly 620,000 cases. Neither Brazil nor Russian visitors will be allowed into the EU, either. The United States also leads in deaths, with nearly 125,000 as of June 26.