As of Saturday, December 12, 2020, Montana reports 72,644 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 788 new cases reported in the last day: 131 in Yellowstone County, 105 in Cascade County, 96 in Flathead County, 63 in Missoula County, 59 in Lewis & Clark County, 50 in Gallatin County, 44 in Silver Bow County, and more new cases in 40 more Montana counties. Statewide, 3,072 people have been hospitalized, and 365 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. The most active cases are in Yellowstone and Cascade Counties and in Flathead County. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 9,951. 816 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Nine more deaths have been logged since yesterday. Nationwide, more than 298,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 16,200,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

Montana is No. 2 in the nation for COVID-19 nursing home deaths. There have been 324 deaths so far in Montana in senior facilities: 216 COVID-19 deaths in long-term care facilities and 108 COVID-19 deaths associated with assisted living facilities in Montana. For every 100 nursing home residents in Montana, 3.12 die of COVID-19. South Dakota had the highest nursing home death rate with 4.82 deaths for every 100 residents.

The Montana Department of Corrections (DOC) reported on Thursday that a 71-year-old Montana State Prison inmate died on Tuesday of COVID-19. It was the fifth inmate death due to COVID-19.
As of Thursday, the Montana State Prison had four active cases and one hospitalization from the virus.

Local hospitals and clinics, including Benefis Health System, Great Falls Clinic and Indian Family Health Center, expect to receive shipments of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine this coming week. The first round of vaccinations will prioritize health care workers.

Country legend Charley Pride has succumbed to Covid-19 complications. He died Saturday in Dallas. Pride was considered country music’s first Black superstar, with hits including “Kiss An Angel Good Mornin,'” “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone.” Nearly a month to the day after performing at the CMA Awards, where he received a lifetime achievement award, country legend Charley Pride died Saturday of complications related to Covid-19. He was 86. Charley Pride always considered himself a Montanan, and Montana considered him a favorite son. He’s in the Country Music Hall of Fame, recorded 30 Billboard Hot Country No. 1 hits and sold more albums than any RCA artist not named Elvis Presley.

His time in Montana started with a dream to be the best baseball player the world has ever seen. After a stint in the Army, Pride came to Missoula to play for the Timberjacks of the Pioneer League, then an affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. But Pride’s time in Missoula was short lived. He made three appearances on the mound and drove in two runs at the plate in three games. On the advice of the Timberjacks management, Pride moved to East Helena took a job at the local smelter and played baseball for their semi-pro team, the Smelterites. He bought a house on Peosta street near Carroll College and moved his wife, Rozene, to Montana where they stood out in the mostly white community. East Helena is also where he started singing. The Smelterites manager, Kes Rigler, would pay Pride $10 dollars to sing the national anthem before games. After games, he’d play with a quartet called the Night Hawks at local clubs and soon everyone in town took note of his voice. Pride’s career took off. His records were selling, his songs were on the radio, and he was booking shows all across the country. So that led to a move to Great Falls, for easier access to the airport. His career in country music took off, and The rest is history. The Pride family moved to Nashville where Charley Pride signed a record deal with RCA Victor, and turned into a national country music superstar. At 86-years old he still toured, was in good health and played about 45 shows per year.

Recently, Pride has been quarantined at home with his wife for the last three months during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pride was in good health until contracting coronavirus, which caused his death.