As of Tuesday, July 28, 2020, Montana reports 3,475 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 94 new cases reported in the last day: 28 in Gallatin County, 17 in Yellowstone County, 11 in Flathead County, 9 in Cascade County, 6 in Lake County, 5 in Silver Bow County, 2 in each of Madison, Missoula, Park, and Sanders Counties, and 1 in each of Beaverhead, Fergus, Hill, Lincoln, Lewis & Clark, Pondera, Richland, Roosevelt, Rosebud, and Stillwater Counties. Statewide, 205 people have been hospitalized, and 62 people are currently being treated in the hospital for COVID-19. Yellowstone County has had 910 cases so far, and Gallatin County has had 802 total cases. Montana has 1,320 active cases of COVID-19. The most active cases are in Yellowstone County, with 499 active cases. Gallatin County has 136 active cases. 51 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Nationwide, more than 151,000 Americans have died.

A Gallatin County resident in his 50s has died of COVID-19 and other health conditions, according to the Gallatin City-County Health Department. The man is the second person in Gallatin County to die of the virus. The man was found unresponsive in his home on July 7. The state medical examiner said the death was due to COVID-19 and other health conditions.

Miami Marlins baseball players and coaches tested positive for coronavirus, prohibiting the Marlins from playing their home opener against the Baltimore Orioles, pushing Major League Baseball to postpone two games, and raising questions about its plans to stage a 60-game regular season amid a pandemic. Twelve Marlins players and two coaches tested positive for the virus. The team is locked down in Philadelphia, where they played a three-game series this past weekend. The outbreak comes just three days into the shortened season. Officials say it stands as a clear warning for other sports leagues as well.

Contact tracing of Miami’s opponents shows how quickly the virus might spread through the league. The Marlins played two exhibition games against the Atlanta Braves last week and played three games against the Philadelphia Phillies last Friday to Sunday. Then the Atlanta Braves played three games against the New York Mets over the weekend in New York and played the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night. The Mets travelled to Boston to play the Red Sox. The Yankees and Phillies postponed their game Monday after the Marlins played in Philadelphia over the weekend. Word of multiple positive tests among players on the Marlins and Reds rosters shook many around the game. The spread of the virus within ball clubs can easily transmit to other cities and their ball clubs, their managers, to umpires, support staff, hotel staff, then to all of those peoples’ families.

Carroll College in Helena will conduct more than 1,500 COVID-19 tests on returning students this fall. . Faculty and staff testing has already started. The administration is also asking that each student self-quarantine for 14 days prior to coming to campus. If a student tests positive, they’ll be required to follow quarantine and isolation procedures.