As of Friday, October 15, 2021, Montana reports 164,669 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 1,143 new cases of coronavirus infection reported since yesterday: 233 new cases in Yellowstone County, 177 new cases in Flathead County, 117 new cases in Missoula County, and more new cases in 45 more Montana counties. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 11,821. All but one of Montana’s 56 counties reports active cases. Currently, 477 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. 2,128 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Seven more people have died of COVID-19 in Montana since yesterday. Nationwide, more than 723,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 44,800,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

An advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration is recommending a second Johnson & Johnson shot. The decision will go to the FDA for a final ruling in the coming days. The Johnson & Johnson booster would be available for all of the nearly 15 million people ages 18 and up who received that vaccine.

State wildlife officials are attempting to trap two small grizzly bears in the Paradise Valley that accessed garbage at an unsecured county-operated garbage collection site and then raided a private chicken coop near Emigrant. Once captured, it is not clear whether the bears will be relocated or euthanized. That decision will ultimately be made by federal officials.

Fort Peck tribal board member and U.S. Army veteran will serve as part of a national advisory committee for the VA as it extends its outreach into Indian Country. Jestin Dupree of Poplar, Montana, served for 16 years as an infantryman. He will be one of 15 people on the recently launched VA Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs.

A small group of hunters shot and killed a grizzly bear in the backcountry east of Gardiner on Oct. 3 when they were charged by it. The hunters were butchering an elk they had killed near Bull Mountain during an early season rifle hunt when the bear appeared and charged the group. The hunters shot and killed the bear during its charge and were not injured. The bear was a 3- to 5-year-old female without cubs.