GREAT FALLS — As of Saturday morning (May 2), there have been a total of 455 confirmed cases of COVID-19 (coronavirus) in Montana, according to the Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services, with two new cases since Friday. Both of the new cases were reported in Yellowstone County. The following data is from DPHHS:
- There have been a total of 404 recovered patients to date. The number of recoveries by county has not been released at this point.
- There are currently 35 active cases in Montana.
- There have been 16 deaths in Montana to date. There have been six deaths in Toole County, two in Cascade County, two in Flathead County, two in Yellowstone County, and one each in Lincoln County, Madison County, Missoula County, and Gallatin County.
- There have now been 61 hospitalizations to date of COVID-19 patients in Montana; 5 of those are "active (current) hospitalizations."
- The DPHHS public health lab has completed 14,635 tests for COVID-19, including 432 tests since Friday's update.
- Click here to see the current total of confirmed and active cases by county
SCHOOLS: The Great Falls Public Schools Board of Trustees announced on Friday that they will not re-open campuses, and distance learning will continue for the remainder of the current school year. Click here to read more. Many other school districts announced last week that they will not re-open classrooms for the remainder of the school year, including Billings, Bozeman, Glasgow, Missoula, Butte, Helena, and Whitefish.
RESTAURANTS: Many restaurant owners in Great Falls are busy preparing to reopen in limited capacities beginning on Monday, now that the first phase of the "Re-opening the Big Sky" plan is underway. Click here to read more.
BLACKFEET TRIBE: The Blackfeet Tribe reported on Friday that a tribal member has died as a result of COVID-19. Tribal officials note the person - who we have learned was an older male - was not on the Blackfeet Reservation at the time of his passing. “Our thoughts and prayers to the family during this time,” the Tribe said in a social media post. The man's death is not yet reflected in the official DPHHS totals.
FERGUS COUNTY: One case was reported on Thursday by Fergus County officials, but the patient is not currently in Fergus County. Fergus County Disaster & Emergency Services said in a Facebook post: "This individual is a resident of Fergus County who has been out of State for an extended period and acquired the disease out of State and has not returned to Montana. This individual will recover out of state before returning home."
TOOLE COUNTY: Toole County confirmed its sixth COVID-19 death last Wednesday. On a per-capita basis, Toole County has been hit harder than any other county in Montana by the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here to read more.
CASCADE COUNTY: According to the City-County Health Department in Great Falls, there have been two COVID-19 deaths in Cascade County. The most recent was a man over the age of 65 whose death was reported on April 20th. There have been 15 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Cascade County to date; 11 of those cases are now listed as recovered, and two cases are currently listed as "active."
TESTING: Governor Steve Bullock on Wednesday outlined a framework to ramp up COVID-19 testing capacity in Montana over the next several months with a goal to eventually conduct 60,000 tests per month and prioritize testing for vulnerable people in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, tribal communities, and those with COVID-19 symptoms. Click here for details. Alluvion Health will open a drive-through testing clinic in Great Falls on Monday; click here for more information.
PHASED RE-OPENING: Governor Steve Bullock announced last Wednesday a three-phase plan to "re-open" Montana, as closures and restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 will be gradually rescinded. Among the highlights of the plan:
- The "stay at home order" expired on Sunday, April 26, for individuals and Monday, April 27, for businesses. Retail businesses can become operational beginning on April 27 if they can adhere to requirements to limit capacity and maintain strict physical distancing.
- Restaurants, bars, breweries, and distilleries can begin providing some in-establishment services beginning May 4. Click here for more details.
- Businesses where groups gather without the ability to social distance including movie theaters, gyms, and other places of assembly remain closed.
The above is just a brief summary of key points; click here for more details of the "Re-opening The Big Sky" plan.
THE REBOUND: MONTANA: We know the COVID-19 pandemic is changing our community. To keep you and your family informed as we move forward, we're beginning a new series of reports. They are stories that will help all of us navigate through these uncertain times. In the coming weeks and months, we'll be focusing on “The Rebound: Montana.” It is a series of reports, videos, and information that show our commitment to stories that will help you as our communities begin to rebound - from what you'll need to know when it's time to go back to work, to how those in the community continue to step up and help others.
