As of Wednesday, July 28, 2021, Montana reports 115,888 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 231 new cases reported since yesterday: 50 new cases in Cascade County, 31 new cases in Flathead County, 27 new cases in Missoula County, 20 new cases in Yellowstone County, 18 new cases in Gallatin County, and more new cases in 26 more Montana counties. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 1,046. Currently, 93 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. The most active cases are in Flathead, Yellowstone, Cascade, and Missoula Counties. 1,704 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Five more deaths have been reported since yesterday. Nationwide, more than 611,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 34,600,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

Masks are now, again, strongly recommended for everyone, whether you are vaccinated or not. The CDC says to wear a mask indoors. Ali Mokdad, a professor of global health at the University of Washington, said, “We know masks work, and they work against every variant that this virus has produced. If we use them, they will save lives, save livelihoods and prevent us from shutting down our economy.”

The pharmaceutical company Pfizer, one of the makers of the coronavirus vaccine, says a third dose of Covid-19 vaccine ‘strongly’ boosts protection against the Delta variant.

The lower end of Holter Reservoir might be closed this week to allow firefighting resources access to the water. The closure would allow firefighting aircraft like super scooper airplanes and helicopters with water buckets to safely fill from the reservoir. The fire resources are supporting efforts on the Harris Mountain Fire, southeast of Cascade.