As of Wednesday, December 29, 2021, Montana reports 197,061 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 389 new cases of coronavirus infection reported since yesterday: 123 new cases in Gallatin County, 54 new cases in Yellowstone County, 41 new cases in Missoula County, 36 new cases in Cascade County, 32 new cases in Flathead County, and more new cases in 32 more Montana counties. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 2,288. Currently, 121 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. 2,905 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Nationwide, more than 819,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 53,200,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

A Chinese city of 13 million people is on strict lockdown with residents being told to stay at home with windows closed as the country’s daily reported domestic COVID-19 cases hit highs last seen in early 2020. The central city of Xi’an, 600 miles southwest of Beijing, is under lockdown in its fifth day as 150 new local symptomatic coronavirus cases were identified and the city launched a new round of mass testing.

The Holiday Bowl in San Diego was canceled after COVID forced UCLA to drop out less than two hours before kickoff. COVID-19 cases forced the UCLA Bruins off the field and scuttled their football game against North Carolina State Tuesday.

John Madden, the Super Bowl-winning coach of the Oakland Raiders and a legendary NFL broadcaster, died unexpectedly Tuesday morning. He was 85.

Harry Reid, a titan of the U.S. Senate and its former Democratic leader, died Tuesday. He was 82.