State, Flathead County report new daily records for COVID-19 cases

Montana’s COVID-19 Task Force on Monday announced 56 new coronavirus cases, setting a record for state’s daily total of new positive cases and bringing the state’s cumulative total to closer to 1,000 cases.

Of the 56 new positive cases, about half are split between Yellowstone and Gallatin counties — two areas that have been among the hardest-hit areas with the virus since Montana’s outbreak began in March.

Glacier County reported nine new positives as well, bringing the tourism area’s total to 18 cases. Five of those individuals are children ages 0 to 9, another two are ages 10 to 19 and the remainder are between the ages of 30 and 49.

According to a post on the Glacier County Health Department’s Facebook page, 12 of the 18 cases are currently active. The social media post also highlighted a press release from the Blackfeet COVID-19 Incident Command which said the tribe has nine active cases, meaning nine of the county’s 12 active cases are within the Blackfeet community.

“All active cases are isolated, and all contacts so far have been contacted and they are in quarantine,” the press release states.

Flathead County also reported six new positives as well, which is a new daily record for the area. Two individuals are ages 30 to 39, one is 50 to 59 and the other individuals are over the age of 60.

Prior to Monday’s report, Flathead County had experienced a handful of days since the start of the state’s outbreak when four or five new cases were reported. The county’s cumulative total of cases is now at 59 and according to the Flathead City-County Health Department’s website, 16 of those are active cases of Flathead County residents and there is also one additional active case of a non-Flathead County resident.

As a whole, the state has now performed nearly 90,000 tests. And of the 919 total confirmed cases of COVID-19, 609 have recovered, 288 are currently active and 13 individuals are currently hospitalized. Twenty-two individuals have died from the virus, according to the COVID-19 Task Force website, which is updated every morning around 10 a.m.

For up-to-date information on Flathead County’s cases go to the Flathead City-County Health Department’s website.

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