As of Friday, September 25, 2020, Montana reports 11,564 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 323 new cases reported in the last day: 78 in Missoula County, 56 in Yellowstone County, 31 in Gallatin County, 23 in Glacier County, 22 in Flathead County, 18 cases in Roosevelt County, 15 in Cascade County, 9 in Lake County, 9 in Valley County, 8 in Big Horn County, 7 each in Lewis & Clark and Silver Bow Counties, 6 in each of Jefferson and Stillwater Counties, 5 in Wheatland County, 4 in Beaverhead County, 3 in Ravalli County, 2 in each of Lincoln, Park, Phillips, and Toole Counties, and 1 in each of eight more Montana counties: Custer, Dawson, Fergus, Golden Valley, Hill, Pondera, Powder River, and Sweet Grass Counties. Statewide, 675 people have been hospitalized, and 140 people are currently being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. Yellowstone County has had 3,046 cases so far. Gallatin County has had 1,313. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 2,713. The most active cases are in Yellowstone County, with 744 active cases. Gallatin County has 127. 170 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Nationwide, more than 203,000 Americans have died. The US has 5% of the world’s population, and almost 25% of its coronavirus deaths. There have been 7,040,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

The Blackfeet Indian Reservation in northwest Montana is under a 14-day mandatory shut down of the entire reservation beginning Sunday, September 27, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. due to the rise in COVID-19 cases. The mandatory stay-at-home order starts Sunday night to allow people to get supplies they need this weekend. The shutdown follows the recommended by Blackfeet Public Health Officials. The tribe has a 50% positive rate of coronavirus tests. Blackfeet Community Hospital will also be going back to a Phase 1 closure. Blackfeet Indian Law Enforcement will be on full force to issue citations and fine individuals not complying with the shutdown. Of the deaths attributed to COVID-19 in Montana, 37% were Native American, even as Native Americans account for about 7% of the state’s population.

Gallatin City-County Health Officer Matt Kelley told the health board on Thursday that the coronavirus pandemic is entering a new phase. “The number of cases are increasing, the positivity rate is going up, the weather is changing and schools are reopening, creating a different atmosphere than we’ve had at other points in the pandemic,” he said. The seven-day average of new cases climbed from six per day on Sept. 14 to 18 on Thursday. Cases are also rising across Montana. The state hit a record on Thursday with 333 new cases for the day. Over the last 10 days, the number of new cases has exceeded 200 — a high for the state — on several days. Gallatin County also has ongoing outbreaks at two assisted-living facilities. One has eight active cases and has been the site of one of the county’s four COVID-19 deaths. The other has had about five cases.

Schools in the county are beginning to see cases as well. A student tested positive for COVID-19 at Belgrade High School and one student at Emily Dickinson Elementary School. Some of the recent cases of “substantial and rapid” growth are cases at Montana State University. Montana State University in Bozeman reported a 643% increase in coronavirus cases from the past week. MSU reported 66 new cases, 52 active cases, and 114 cases reported since August 1. In Gallatin County, more than 500 coronavirus cases have been reported in the age group 20-29 years old. Most recently, the most rapid increase in coronavirus cases has occurred in people aged 10-19 years old and 20-29 years old.