Montana ranks worst in country for most COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents

Nora Mabie
Great Falls Tribune
Nurses Elizabeth Nugent and Mason Murphy
work on the COVID-19 floor during the night shift at Benefis Health System

The New York Times reported that as of Tuesday, Montana ranked No. 1 in the country for the most COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents. 

Montana averages 1,039 new cases a day and has 97 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people, which is a 17% increase in the last 14 days, according to the report

Idaho ranked second in the report with 78 cases per 100,000 people. Wyoming, ranked third, has 75 cases per 100,000 people. 

As of Friday, Great Falls Public Schools reported active COVID-19 cases in every school in the district with the exception of Loy Elementary. Great Falls High School had 15 active cases, West Elementary School had 12 and Mountain View Elementary had seven. There were 91 total active cases across the district, including two reported cases in the district office building.

Operations Specialist Meghan Johnson sets up for another busy day of monoclonal antibody infusion
therapy in a tent in the Benefis Emergency Department. The infusion tent plays a vital role in reducing pressure on the hospital by preventing some COVID-19 patients from being hospitalized.

Three Montana school districts are using a two-day school break for statewide conferences this week to hold remote classes or temporarily close to prevent the spread of COVID-19, according to The Associated Press. The Darby school district is switching to remote learning on Tuesday and Wednesday due to staff shortages, Glasgow schools will not have class Monday through Wednesday, and Livingston schools are holding virtual class for middle and high school students to help health officials contact trace. All schools are expected to return to in-person learning next Monday. 

Montana on Tuesday reported 1,333 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the state's active case count to 11,041. There are 454 active hospitalizations, and 2,206 total deaths from the virus. 

Cascade County reported 153 new cases on Tuesday. The county has 1,140 active cases, 218 total deaths and 13,098 recoveries. Fifty percent of eligible Cascade County residents are fully vaccinated. 

Gallatin County added 199 new cases on Tuesday, Yellowstone County had 180, Lewis and Clark County had 154 and Missoula County reported 113. Fifty-four percent of eligible Montanans are fully vaccinated. 

For more information on COVID-19 vaccines, visit vaccines.gov. To schedule a COVID-19 booster shot, visit mtreadyclinic.org or cvs.com.

Nora Mabie covers Indigenous communities for the Great Falls Tribune. She can be reached at nmabie@greatfallstribune.com. Follow her on Facebook @NoraMabieJournalist or on Twitter @NoraMabie

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