As of Wednesday, December 1, 2021, Montana reports 191,593 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 585 new cases of coronavirus infection reported since yesterday: 76 new cases in Yellowstone County, 75 new cases in Gallatin County, 61 new cases in Flathead County, 49 new cases in Cascade County, 46 new cases in Lewis & Clark County, 36 new cases in Missoula County, and more new cases in 34 more Montana counties. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 4,026. Currently, 220 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. 2,722 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Fifty-one more people’s deaths have been reported since yesterday. Nationwide, more than 777,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 48,100,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

The growing omicron variant of the coronavirus has caused an outbreak worldwide, and new evidence shows that the mutant COVID-19 variant may have spread well beyond southern Africa by the time it was first detected. Dutch health officials found omicron in samples taken on Nov. 19 and Nov. 23, suggesting the variant had a bigger head start in Europe than previously believed.

A federal district judge on Tuesday blocked a federal vaccine mandate for health care workers in a case brought by a dozen state attorneys general, including Montana’s. Judge Terry Doughty, of the U.S. District Court Western District of Louisiana, granted an injunction against the mandate that applies nationwide. Doughty wrote in his order that appeals are assured and the case will ultimately be decided by a higher court than his own, but said he granted the injunction to preserve the status quo as the case proceeds.

Very strong winds, some gusting upwards of 90 mph, pushed wildfires east of Browning, south of Great Falls and north of Stanford on Wednesday. Browning Public Schools canceled classes. Blackfeet Tribal offices were also closed and about 100 people in the community of Blackfoot evacuated to a shelter set up at Browning Middle School. U.S. Highway 2 along the Hi-Line was closed. South of Great Falls, a fire destroyed several structures and was threatening others. Downed power lines are believed to be the cause of a fire that started late Tuesday north of Stanford. The fire was burning in the direction of Denton, but was not threatening the town.