As of Thursday, April 1, 2021, Montana reports 104,552 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 203 new cases reported in the last day: 64 in Gallatin County, 28 in Silver Bow County, 24 in Yellowstone County, 15 in Flathead County, 14 in Cascade County, and more new cases in 20 more Montana counties. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 960. Currently, 50 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. The most active cases are in Gallatin, Missoula, and Yellowstone Counties. 1,438 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Nationwide, more than 552,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 30,500,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is urging everyone to continue social distancing and wearing face masks after revealing that she and members of her family tested positive for Covid-19. Palin, 57, said that her family was diagnosed with the coronavirus after one of her daughters woke up not being able to taste or smell, which is a symptom of the virus. The daughter immediately had a positive Covid test, then was quarantined in isolation. Palin’s son Trig also developed symptoms and is a special needs child; Trig was born with Downs Syndrome. Sarah Palin developed a fever and sore muscles and lost her sense of smell and taste and tested positive for coronavirus. Palin said that her COVID-19 diagnosis shows that “anyone can catch this.”

Montana Republican Governor Greg Gianforte received his coronavirus vaccine Thursday, the same day he resisted a request in a call from President Joe Biden asking all states to restore mask mandates as case counts mount around the country. Earlier this week, President Biden asked governors who have lifted statewide mask mandates, like Gianforte did in February, to restore those measures. The plea came as the director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned of “impending doom” as case growth nationally has increased, in part because of more contagious variants. At least 54 variant cases have been found in Montana, according to the state Department of Public Health and Human Services. The first four cases were reported earlier this month. Montana communities can decide to enact their own local ordinances that are more restrictive than the state’s. But Republican bills on their way to Gianforte’s desk would change that by requiring elected officials approve of public health mandates, among other changes.

After a busy winter season, Hyalite Canyon Road is closed to vehicle traffic from April 1 through May 15 to allow for snow to melt. Vehicle traffic during the spring thaw can cause surface cracking and potholes on the road, and the roadbed is saturated this time of year as snow melts. Hyalite will still be open for non-vehicle activity. The road becomes popular this time of year for mountain bikers and walkers without vehicle traffic.

The Montana State University 2021 football season tickets go on sale April 15, and MSU is planning full capacity at the stadium. The home football season begins at Bobcat Stadium for Gold Rush on Sept. 11. MSU officials are in the process of having plans reviewed by local health officials to welcome a limited number of masked and socially-distanced fans into Bobcat Stadium for the April 24 Sonny Holland Classic spring scrimmage.