As of Wednesday, March 2, 2022, Montana reports 268,100 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 969 new cases of coronavirus infection reported since yesterday: 343 new cases in Yellowstone County, 190 new cases in Flathead County, 184 new cases in Cascade County, and more new cases in 35 more Montana counties. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 1,707. Of Montana’s 56 counties, 49 report active cases. Currently, 101 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. 3,191 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Nationwide, more than 951,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 79,000,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

Republican Montana Governor Greg Gianforte shot and killed a mountain lion that was being monitored by National Park Service staff, after hunting dogs chased it up a tree on public land north of Yellowstone National Park late last year.

Dangerous levels of lead has been found in the drinking water of half the schools tested in Montana. Lead is a toxic metal long known to cause lasting organ and nervous system damage. It can contaminate drinking water through pipes and fixtures. Although federal rules require that community water sources be tested for lead, schools have largely been free from that oversight.

The Montana State University men’s basketball team has claimed its first Big Sky regular season title in twenty years. The Big Sky Conference-leading Bobcats beat second place Southern Utah on Tuesday 69-53 to clinch the league’s regular season championship.