Montana has a terrible outbreak of coronavirus cases, hospitalizations, and deaths from COVID-19. Please, everyone, stop gathering. Wear a face mask over your nose and mouth whenever you’re out of your own home. Keep your distance from others.

As of Wednesday, November 4, 2020, Montana reports 35,955 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 793 new cases reported in the last day: 166 in Gallatin County, 98 in Cascade County, 97 in Flathead County, 73 in Missoula County, 67 in Yellowstone County, 47 in Big Horn County, 41 in Lewis & Clark County, 36 in Hill County, 20 in Glacier County, and more new cases in 29 more Montana counties. Statewide, 1,402 people have been hospitalized, and 407 people currently are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. There are 13,405 active coronavirus cases in Montana. Since Oct. 1, the number of active cases in Montana have nearly tripled. The most active cases are in Yellowstone, Cascade, Gallatin, Flathead, and Missoula Counties. 404 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. More than half of all the deaths in Montana caused by COVID-19 occurred in October. More Montanans have died of COVID in just the last week than died of the flu all last year. Nationwide, more than 233,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 9,520,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

The entire Pondera County Health Department staff resigned Wednesday, citing overwork, barriers to hiring help, lack of support from the county commission and poor pay as health departments across the nation work to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. Pondera County Health department director Nicki Sullivan was with PCHD for seven years and was its director for more than three years. Besides the now four vacancies, PCHD is currently seeking a full-time registered nurse to perform school nursing services for Conrad Public Schools and to work as a disease intervention specialist at PCHD. The Pondera County Commission scheduled a meeting with the health officer and the health staff for Thursday. Pondera County Commissioners encouraged the public to follow health recommendations such as mask use, hand washing and social distancing, and their statement detailed the ways COVID-19 has changed how schools, senior care, businesses and churches operate.

The Gallatin County health board will consider new restrictions on businesses and gatherings in response amid the current coronavirus surge. The health department wrote that “rapid, widespread, and sustained increases” in new virus cases, hospitalizations and outbreaks in nursing homes is pushing hospitals around the state to near or full capacity, and is driving up the number of deaths caused by the virus. In Gallatin County, coronavirus cases have surged again, with new case numbers reaching the third highest daily total on Tuesday. If approved, the mandatory closing time for bars, tasting rooms, distilleries, casinos and restaurants would be moved from 12:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Group sizes at tables would be limited to six people, and high-risk businesses like gyms, fitness centers, bars, restaurants, distilleries and casinos would have to limit patron numbers to 50% capacity. Indoor and outdoor group gatherings would be limited to no more than 25 people, regardless of physical distancing. Exceptions would include houses of worship and other places where sufficient social distancing is feasible.

At Butte’s Continental Care and Rehabilitation skilled nursing facility, 2 more residents have died due to a COVID-19 outbreak at the facility, bringing the total deaths so far to seven residents. 32 residents and 14 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19. Butte-Silver Bow Health Officer Karen Sullivan said, “Montana’s on fire,” referring to a skyrocket in the testing positivity rate through the state. In Butte-Silver Bow County, nearly 20 percent of those tested for the virus the last week of October were positive. Montana in just October recorded 20,225 positive cases— nearly two-thirds of the total cases since March, and nearly 10 times the monthly average through September. As has been the case in other nursing homes around the state and country, the burn was fierce and acute at the Continental facility. Sixty percent of the Butte facility’s 53 residents and 20 percent of the staff have tested positive. The facility faced a significant shortage of staff due to COVID-19 infection, according to Sullivan. Under guidance from the state, the county health department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, facility administrators resorted to extreme measures. They separated the COVID-19 positive residents to one wing, and kept some asymptomatic staff members who had tested positive working with the COVID-19 positive patients, according to Sullivan. The decision was reached when outside help from the state could not be acquired.

There are 211 assisted-living facilities in the state, along with 73 long-term care facilities. As of Oct. 28, at least 76 percent of long-term care facilities and 45 percent of assisted-living facilities have reported COVID-19 cases. About 17 percent of long-term care facilities and 19 percent of assisted-living facilities have had COVID-19 deaths.