As of Tuesday, September 21, 2021, Montana reports 142,513 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 1,181 new cases of coronavirus infection reported since yesterday: 166 new cases in Flathead County, 162 new cases in Missoula County, 140 new cases in Yellowstone County, 131 new cases in Gallatin County, and more new cases in 40 more Montana counties. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 9,976. There are active coronavirus cases in 55 of 56 Montana counties. Currently, 377 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. 1,901 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Nationwide, more than 677,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 42,300,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

Covid deaths in 2020 caused Alabama’s population to shrink for the first time. There were more deaths than births in Alabama last year, a first since the state started keeping records and officials said it’s directly tied to the coronavirus pandemic.

The U.S. will extend travel restrictions from Canada into the U.S. for at least another month. Travel is prohibited for all but emergency travel. The decision came on the same day the U.S. loosened travel restrictions for foreign nationals who are vaccinated and test negative for COVID-19 flying into the United States, a policy set to take effect in November.

Montana Democratic legislators penned an open letter to Governor Gianforte Tuesday, joining Montana hospitals in asking for help during the current spike of coronavirus cases and the strain on health care facilities and staff. House of Representatives Democratic Minority Leader Kim Abbott and Senate Minority Leader Jill Cohenour, both of Helena, request that Republican Governor Greg Gianforte prioritize the assignment of Montana National Guard members to health care facilities—a request made by at least 5 Montana hospitals—and use emergency funds for temporary and traveling health care workers to assist overwhelmed medical facilities.

A Washington state man has been found dead in Yellowstone National Park and a search continues for his camping partner. Mark O’Neill, 67, of Chimacum, Washington, was found dead by park search and rescue crews along the east shore of Shoshone Lake. Still missing is his half-brother, Kim Crumbo, 74, of Ogden, Utah.