As of Wednesday, September 16, 2020, Montana reports 9,431 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 190 new cases reported in the last day: 82 in Yellowstone County, 39 in Rosebud County, 18 in Cascade County, 8 in Big Horn County, 6 in Gallatin County, 5 in Dawson County, 4 in Custer, Lewis & Clark, Missoula and Park County, 3 in Chouteau County, 2 in each of Carbon, Hill, Lake, and Ravalli Counties, and 1 in each of Deer Lodge, Glacier, Jefferson, Richland, and Silver Bow Counties. Statewide, 543 people have been hospitalized, and one hundred six people currently are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. Yellowstone County has had 2,617 cases so far. Gallatin County has had 1,166. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 2,104. The most active cases are in Yellowstone County, with 752 active cases. Gallatin County has 34. 141 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Nationwide, more than 196,000 Americans have died. There have been 6,630,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

The border between Canada and the United States is likely to remain closed through November as coronavirus cases spike in some US states. Canadian officials are showing little enthusiasm to relax restrictions on travelers. The border has been closed to non-essential visitors since the pandemic began in March, and the few travelers who are allowed into Canada, mostly medical personnel, must quarantine for 14 days. The closure has helped Canada to keep its coronavirus infection rates much lower than the US. Canada on Friday reported zero COVID-19 deaths in the previous 24 hours for the first time since March 15. By contrast, the number of deaths reported on Sunday in the United States rose by 807 to hit a total of 193,195. The US-Canadian border closure is likely to extend until after American Thanksgiving.

The Big Ten Conference announced Wednesday it will play football this fall, a stunning reversal from the league’s move last month to push back the 2020 season because of the coronavirus pandemic. The alliance of 14 universities, representing some of the nation’s most prestigious schools and storied football programs, will be back on the football field the weekend of Oct. 23-24. New protocols will include daily testing for players and team staff, and each university is to appoint an infection officer to oversee testing. Originally, the conference said Aug. 11 that it was too risky to play with America still struggling to contain the virus that’s killed nearly 200,000 Americans. The plan was to stage an unprecedented spring football season, if the virus was under control. But the pressure to strap on helmets this fall has grown in recent weeks, as three other prominent college football conferences went forward with shortened seasons: the Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference and the Southeastern Conference.

Organizers of Vice President Mike Pence’s campaign rally in Belgrade on Monday did not reply to the Gallatin County Health Officer’s request to plan ways to use coronavirus-related protocols. Health officer Matt Kelley emailed organizers last Friday but received no response. Among hundreds of people at the rally, few wore masks and few sat or stood 6 feet away from others. Pence, who is head of the White House’s coronavirus task force, did not wear a mask. Neither did US Senator Steve Daines and other Republican candidates. The county health department’s priority is protecting people in senior living facilities and figuring out ways for schools to have as much in-person class as possible, Kelley said. A large event, like the one that took place Monday, could put people at risk. Kelley said, “It’s concerning anytime we have hundreds of people gathered without social distancing, without masks,” Kelley said. “That’s a risk.” In his email to organizers on Friday, Kelley mentioned a local health rule that says there should be no events with more than 50 people unless social distancing can be maintained, and that local health officials should be consulted about large gatherings.