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2 more COVID deaths tied to Montana care facility outbreak

| July 20, 2020 2:52 PM

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Two more deaths have been tied to an outbreak of COVID-19 at a Montana care facility, officials said Monday.

The weekend deaths bring to 12 the number of residents of Canyon Creek Memory Care in Billings who have died from the respiratory virus in the past two weeks, Yellowstone County health officials said.

A woman in her 80s died Saturday and a man in his 80s died Sunday at Canyon Creek, which has lost one-fifth of its 59 residents since June 6.

Montana confirmed another 256 cases of COVID-19 in test results announced Saturday, Sunday and Monday, bringing the state total to over 2,600 known cases.

More than 1,200 people are known to be still infected and 48 of them are hospitalized. The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death. The vast majority of people recover.