Flathead County’s COVID-19 positive cases exceed 30

As of Monday afternoon, there were more than 30 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Flathead County, according to the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services.

The state testing laboratory in Helena had processed 6,985 coronavirus tests to date from dozens of counties statewide. Montana now has 319 confirmed cases spread across 22 counties and 27 individuals are currently hospitalized for coronavirus-related illnesses.

According to the health department’s data, the state’s outbreak has occurred primarily in the western portion of the state with most eastern side counties showing no positives with the exception of Roosevelt County, which has one.

Overall, Gallatin still has the most positives with 118 as of Monday, followed by Yellowstone County with 47. Flathead County is third behind Yellowstone with 31; five new cases in Flathead County were reported Monday afternoon, including three women in the age ranges of 10-19, 40-49 and 70-79; and two men, one in his 30s and the other in his 50s.

While health-care officials had expected the state’s COVID-190 outbreak to peak in late April, new studies are estimating that date is now closer to April 13. Additionally, one study from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in Washington has predicted the state will experience 22 fatalities — a steep drop-off from the original prediction of more than 250. The health department has recorded six fatalities to date.

Reporter Kianna Gardner can be reached at 758-4407 or kgardner@dailyinterlake.com