As of Friday, October 29, 2021, Montana reports 175,847 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 792 new cases of coronavirus infection reported since yesterday: 181 new cases in Yellowstone County, 108 new cases in Missoula County, 62 new cases in Flathead County, 62 new cases in Lake County, 60 new cases in Lewis & Clark County, and more new cases in 38 more Montana counties. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 11,149. Currently, 433 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. 2,346 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Seventeen more people’s deaths have been reported since yesterday. Nationwide, more than 743,000 Americans have died. There have been 45,800,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

Montana’s first case of influenza in more than a year and a half has been confirmed in a child in Flathead County. There hasn’t been a flu case in Montana since April 2020, according to the state health department. Doctors in Montana have said the use of measures meant to slow the spread of COVID-19, like face coverings and social distancing, also staved off the transmission of the flu over the last year and a half.

The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission Thursday placed additional restrictions on wolf trapping aimed at reducing the number of federally protected grizzly bears and Canada lynx caught unintentionally. In August the commission adopted sweeping regulation changes for wolf trapping and hunting following several new laws aimed at killing more wolves in the state.

There is a Montana license plate change due to an aluminum shortage. Montana Correctional Enterprises (MCE) a subsidiary of the Montana Department of Corrections, produces about 750,000 license plates every year for Montana motorists in all 56 counties. The factory was forced to change its production process for Montana license plates this week when its supply of aluminum ran out due to a nationwide aluminum shortage.