As of Thursday, September 24, 2020, Montana reports 11,242 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with a new high number of coronavirus cases, 333, reported in the last day: 62 in Yellowstone County, 56 in Roosevelt County, 46 in Missoula County, 35 in Gallatin County, 20 in Cascade County, 19 in Glacier County, 16 in Rosebud County, 11 in Flathead County, 9 in Valley County, 8 in Big Horn County, 6 in Lewis & Clark County, 5 in Lake County, 4 in Madison County, 3 in each of Beaverhead, Fergus, Hill, Powder River, Ravalli, and Toole Counties, 2 in each of Carter, Chouteau, Liberty, Powell, and Sweet Grass Counties, and 1 in each of eight more Montana counties: Custer, Garfield, Jefferson, Lincoln, Park, Richland, Sanders, and Silver Bow Counties. Statewide, 650 people have been hospitalized, and 128 people are currently being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. Yellowstone County has had2,990 cases so far. Gallatin County has had 1,282. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 2,443. The most active cases are in Yellowstone County, with 689 active cases. Gallatin County has 118. 165 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Nationwide, more than 202,000 Americans have died. The US has 5% of the world’s population, and almost 25% of its coronavirus deaths. There have been 6,990,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.
Montana schools report a 294-case jump in coronavirus cases. The report only includes schools with more than 10 students. The new report shows cases in 121 schools, a jump from 59 schools last week. The new data is accurate through Sept. 18, and we know more cases have been added since then. As of Sept. 18, Flathead County showed 51 cases in schools across the county, with 20 just at Flathead High. The list shows 111 cases in Yellowstone County schools, with 45 of those still under investigation. All but four schools on the list reported new cases in the 14 days prior.
According to the CDC, masks may help prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others. Wearing a mask will help protect people around you, including those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and workers who frequently come into close contact with other people (like workers in stores and restaurants). Masks are most likely to reduce the spread of COVID-19 when they are widely used by people in public settings. The spread of COVID-19 can be reduced when masks are used along with other preventive measures, including social distancing, frequent handwashing, and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces
A new program in Gallatin County, ‘Mask Up Gallatin’, aims to get more people wearing masks by handing out game cards for chances to win prizes.
Businesses and ambassadors will distribute 5,000 game cards to people wearing face masks in public and to “front-line employees” as part of the “Mask Up Gallatin” program. The cards will be distributed until Oct. 19. People can then go to maskupgallatin.com and enter the code on their card for a chance to win things like day passes to Bridger Bowl, Big Sky Resort and Spire Climbing and Fitness Center. Prizes also include gift cards to area businesses and merchandise from sponsors.