As of Wednesday, July 1, 2020, Montana reports 1,016 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 50 new cases reported in the last day: fifteen new cases in Yellowstone County, eight in Gallatin County, four in Cascade County and in Ravalli County, three new cases in each of Big Horn, Carbon, and Missoula Counties, two new cases in Custer and Lewis & Clark Counties, and one new case in each of Stillwater, Silver Bow, Rosebud, Lake, Granite, and Valley Counties. Statewide, 105 people have been hospitalized, and fourteen people are currently being treated in the hospital for COVID-19. Gallatin County has had 271 cases so far. The most active cases are in Yellowstone County, with 68 active cases, followed by Gallatin County, with 50 active cases. 22 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Nationwide, more than 130,000 Americans have died.

In Montana, the highest percentages of coronavirus cases are in people in their twenties and thirties, followed by those in their sixties. People infected with coronavirus are equally distributed between males and females, 50-50. Most cases in Gallatin County are community acquired or travel related.

States and localities around the nation are tapping the brakes on reopening as daily U.S. coronavirus cases shoot up, rising 85 percent over the last two weeks. California shut down bars and indoor dining, and New York City paused indoor restaurant reopenings scheduled for Monday. Miami-Dade County will close its beaches over the Fourth of July weekend. More than 2,000 new cases were identified in Louisiana, the most in a single day since early April.

Congress is extending the Paycheck Protection Program through Aug. 8. Democrats drove a temporary extension of the popular subsidy program for small businesses through the GOP-controlled Senate late Tuesday, an unexpected development that came as spikes in coronavirus cases in many states are causing renewed shutdowns of bars and other businesses. About $130 billion remains of $660 billion approved so far for the subsidy program, which provides direct subsidies to businesses harmed by the coronavirus pandemic. The subsidies are forgiveable federal loans for businesses that use 60% of the loan for payroll costs. The loans been a lifeline to more than 4 million businesses.

A groom has died of COVID-19 after infecting more than 100 of his wedding guests with coronavirus. The wedding in India turned out to be a coronavirus super-spreader, killing the groom – whose family ignored his wishes to postpone the nuptials amid his spiking fever. The 30-year-old software engineer developed diarrhea and a high fever before his June 15 wedding, but took a painkiller and proceeded with the ceremony, which was attended by more than 360 people. Two days later, his condition took a turn for the worse and he died on the way to a hospital.