As of Thursday, January 13, 2022, Montana reports 209,900 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 1,760 new cases of coronavirus infection reported since yesterday: 473 new cases in Gallatin County, 289 new cases in Yellowstone County, 249 new cases in Missoula County, 162 new cases in Flathead County, and more new cases in 45 more Montana counties. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 10,482. Currently, 178 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. 2,935 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Nationwide, more than 844,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 63,600,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

The US Supreme Court on Thursday blocked a federal vaccine and testing requirement aimed at large businesses, but it allowed a vaccine requirement for health care workers to go into effect nationwide. The high court said that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, charged with protecting workplace safety, overstepped its authority. In contrast, the justices said that a separate agency could issue a rule to protect the health and safety of Medicare and Medicaid patients.

The State of Montana has ordered 650,000 rapid COVID-19 tests to be distributed to residents through county health departments. The price tag for the tests, $5.5 million, should be delivered to the state from the federal government the week of Jan. 24.

Candidate filing opened Thursday in Montana, formally kicking off the 2022 election season. The state’s highest-profile race may be for the new congressional seat, and campaign season is already well underway.