As of Thursday, March 17, 2022. Montana reports 272,036 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 85 new cases of coronavirus infection reported since yesterday: 15 new cases in Richland County, 10 new cases in Missoula County, 10 new cases in Yellowstone County, 8 new cases in Lewis & Clark County, and more new cases in 18 more Montana counties. 40 of Montana’s 56 counties report active cases. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 663. Currently, 56 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. 3,231 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Three more people’s deaths have been reported since yesterday. Nationwide, more than 967,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 79,500,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

The Montana Supreme Court issued an order Tuesday saying Republican Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen was wrong in halting a ballot initiative
from going out for signature-gathering. The Supreme Court’s unanimous opinion, written by Chief Justice Mike McGrath, also indicated that the attorney general lacks the authority to reject a proposed ballot initiative on the basis that it amounts to a government “taking” of private property.

Montana is set to be designated free of invasive mussels as the state moves to delist Tiber Reservoir as a mussel-positive waterbody. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks recently launched the delisting process for Tiber.