As of Wednesday, November 17, 2021, Montana reports 186,802 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 597 new cases of coronavirus infection reported since yesterday: 94 new cases in Flathead County, 67 new cases in Cascade County, 63 new cases in Big Horn County, 53 new cases in Gallatin County, 47 new cases in Lewis & Clark County, 39 new cases in Yellowstone County, and more new cases in 33 more Montana counties. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 6,918. Currently, 296 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. 2,523 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Ten more people’s deaths have been reported since yesterday. Nationwide, more than 765,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 47,300,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

The definition of ‘fully vaccinated’ is changing to three Covid-19 doses. European nations are moving towards mandates on booster jabs. By December 15, anyone over the age of 65 will need a third dose to revalidate their vaccination pass in France. In Austria, full vaccination status expires after nine months of the second dose, which in effect enforces booster doses. In Israel, people with two doses of coronavirus vaccine now need a third dose to become eligible for a green pass, which allows entry to gyms, restaurants and other venues.

Drug overdose deaths in the United States have surpassed 100,000 in a 12-month period for the first time, a troubling milestone amid an already devastating period for the country. The number of overdose deaths rose 29 percent, from 78,056 from April 2019 to April 2020, to 100,306 in the following 12 months.

For the third time in as many weeks, Montana’s Republican attorney general, Austin Knudsen, has joined with other Republican-led states to challenge a rule from the Biden administration aimed at boosting the nation’s stagnant rate of vaccination against COVID-19. Montana is one of a dozen states that on Monday filed a lawsuit against the federal Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS). The suit seeks to block a rule for hospitals and other medical providers to require their employees be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to receive federal reimbursements.