COVID-19 pandemic in Montana
The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached the U.S. state of Montana on March 14, 2020.[1] As of 2 August, 2020 the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (MDPHHS) has confirmed 4,193 positive cases and 61 deaths in the state.[2]
COVID-19 pandemic in Montana | |
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Map of the outbreak in Montana by confirmed new infections per 100,000 people (14 days preceding August 17)
500+ confirmed new cases
200–500 confirmed new cases
100–200 confirmed new cases
50–100 confirmed new cases
20–50 confirmed new cases
10–20 confirmed new cases
0–10 confirmed new cases
No confirmed new cases or no data | |
Map of the outbreak in Montana by total confirmed infections per 100,000 people (as of August 17)
3,000+ confirmed infected
1,000–3,000 confirmed infected
300–1,000 confirmed infected
100–300 confirmed infected
30–100 confirmed infected
0–30 confirmed infected
No confirmed infected or no data | |
Disease | COVID-19 |
Virus strain | SARS-CoV-2 |
Location | Montana, U.S. |
Index case | Broadwater, Gallatin, Silver Bow, and Yellowstone Counties |
Arrival date | March 13, 2020 |
Confirmed cases | 5,846 |
Hospitalized cases | 97 (current) 339 (cumulative) |
Recovered | 4,206 |
Deaths | 84 |
Government website | |
covid19 |
Timeline
March
March 11–12
On March 11, the Governor of Maryland, Larry Hogan, announced that a part-time Montana and part-time Maryland resident tested positive for coronavirus in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The woman in her 70s is a part-time resident of Lake County, and because this was her primary residence, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that she would be considered Montana's first case. The woman, however, had not been in Montana since November 2019 and did not come into contact with anyone in Montana. Her being counted as a Montana case is still not officially confirmed, however, as the MDPHHS does not report the case in their official totals.[3]
On March 12, Governor Steve Bullock declared a state of emergency in Montana. Although no cases were confirmed in the state at the time, the emergency declaration helped prepare state and local governments for the future impact the disease would have on Montana.[4]
March 13–14
On March 13, Governor Bullock announced the first four cases of coronavirus that were within the state of Montana. The patients included a Gallatin County man in his 40s who traveled internationally, a Yellowstone County woman in her 50s who traveled internationally, a Silver Bow County man in his 50s who traveled to Washington, and a Broadwater County man in his 50s who also traveled to Washington.[1][5]
Late on March 14, the governor's office announced the confirmation of two more positive cases, both of which are from Missoula County: a woman in her 30s who was identified as the Montana Commissioner of Higher Education and a man in his 50s. The commissioner and the man from Silver Bow County who was confirmed on March 13 were both present at a Board of Regents meeting in Dillon on March 5, where it is believed that the commissioner was exposed.[5]
March 15–16
Mid-day March 15, Governor Bullock issued an executive order that closed all public schools in the state for two weeks beginning March 16 and lasting until March 27. In addition, the governor ordered the suspension of all nursing home visits with the exception of end-of-life situations. Governor Bullock also suggested, but did not ban, the gathering of all groups over 50 people.[6] The Lewis and Clark Library announced that they would close beginning on March 17 until further notice. All overdue were ended and the due date of all books was extended to May 1.[7]
The city of Helena was placed under a 10-day-long state of emergency by Mayor Wilmot Collins on the afternoon of March 16.[8] Governor Bullock announced that two new positive cases had been confirmed in Montana: a Missoula County man and a Yellowstone County woman, both of whom are in their 20s. This announcement increased the total number of cases to 8.[9]
March 17–18
Bishop Austin Vetter of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Helena announced on March 17 that all public Masses and related gatherings in the diocese would be banned until further notice.[10] During a press conference, Governor Bullock announced an additional case in the state. He also announced that small businesses would be able to apply for Small Business Administration (SBA) loans and uninsured Montanans would have the cost of their coronavirus tests covered.[11]
Late March 18, Governor Bullock's office announced two more positive cases in Montana, which increased the cases to 12 in the state. The patients were a Missoula County man in his 50s and a Gallatin County man in his 60s.[12]
March 20–21
On March 20, Governor Bullock announced measures that would close all sit-down and dine-in food services, all alcoholic beverage businesses, casinos, and other businesses that serve groups of people at one time. The closure began at 8:00 p.m. that same day and last until midnight on March 28.[13]
By March 21, the Montana Department of Public Health confirmed an additional 6 cases, bringing the total to 27 cases of coronavirus in the state of Montana. Three additional cases were confirmed in Cascade County on the evening of March 21, bringing the total number of cases to at least 30.[14]
May
May 14
A survey found Montana to be the "least affected" state in the US for COVID-19-related unemployment claims.[15]
June
June 1
On June 1, Montana moved to phase 2 of the state's reopening plan.[16][17]
The three Montana entrances to Yellowstone National Park were opened on June 1, after the south and east (Wyoming) entrances had been opened in mid-May.[18]
Glacier National Park reopened its west gate entrance at West Glacier on June 8.[19]
July
Government response
Helena Mayor Wilmot Collins placed the city under a state of local disaster emergency on March 16. Lasting 10 days, the emergency declaration activated the response and recovery units of all city disaster plans. This also allowed for the possibility to declare a curfew or quarantine, though city officials said that none had been decided at that time.[8]
Governor Bullock announced major closures in establishments that seat many people, including restaurants, alcohol beverage businesses, cigar bars, gyms and health clubs, movie theaters, nightclubs, bowling alleys, and casinos on March 20. Restaurants are allowed, under the order, to use delivery, walk-or-drive-up, or drive-thru services. Alcoholic beverage delivery was also allowed. The limitations began that same day at 8:00 p.m. and would expire at 11:59 p.m. on March 27.[13]
Governor Bullock signed a pair of executive orders on March 26 enforcing a stay-at-home order for all Montana residents beginning at midnight on March 28 and ending on April 10. The executive order also forced all non-essential businesses to fully close.[20]
On March 31, Governor Bullock announced that the Montana Facility Finance Authority Act would provide financing for "health care, medical and related facilities."[21]
On April 3, Governor Bullock announced that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits would no longer require interviews. Benefits would be "auto-renewed for another year as long as the state of emergency lasts." The supply of commodities provided through food banks, by tribal partners, and senior centers would be doubled.[22]
On July 15, Governor Bullock announced that masks would be required at enclosed public spaces in counties that currently have three or more active cases.[23]
Reopening
On April 17, 2020, the governor announced that he is working with a newly appointed COVID-19 task force on a “phased reopening” of Montana. The state must meet three benchmarks to begin the reopening:[24]
- a sustained reduction in new COVID-19 cases for 14 days;
- hospitals must be able to safely treat all patients; and
- Montana must have the capacity to test all people with COVID-19 symptoms.
Testing
In the beginning of June, the state began free, state-wide testing of asymptomatic individuals.[25]
Impact
Prisons
On April 1, Governor Bullock issued a directive to correctional facilities suspending all new transfers into the Department of Corrections custody to protect prison inmates and staff.[26]
Until April 10, CoreCivic required prison inmates to sign a waiver in order to receive a face mask, which held the company harmless of any claims related to the masks.[27] The Montana Department of Corrections' inmate workers have been producing masks for inmates.
By May 14, two positive COVID-19 cases had been found among inmates in state custody of seven inmates tested.[28] Starting on May 15, 772 additional tests for coronavirus per month were made available to asymptomatic inmates and staff in Montana's prisons and correctional facilities.[29]
On June 4, the Law and Justice Interim Committee asked the director of the Department of Corrections for a timeline for sentinel testing at all prison facilities and plans on how the department would handle an outbreak.[30]
Statistics
County[lower-alpha 1] | Cases[lower-alpha 2] | Deaths | Recov. | Nonres.[lower-alpha 3][lower-alpha 4] | Population[lower-alpha 5] | Cases / 100k |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
54 / 56 | 5,846 | 84 | 3,937 | 224 | 1,068,778 | 547.0 |
Beaverhead | 68 | 0 | 58 | 3 | 9,453 | 719.3 |
Big Horn | 543 | 14 | 274 | 1 | 13,319 | 4,076.9 |
Blaine | 14 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 6,681 | 209.5 |
Broadwater | 14 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 6,237 | 224.5 |
Carbon | 77 | 0 | 62 | 3 | 10,725 | 717.9 |
Carter | 0 | – | – | – | 1,252 | 0 |
Cascade | 184 | 5 | 108 | 20 | 81,366 | 226.1 |
Chouteau | 10 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 5,635 | 177.5 |
Custer | 61 | 2 | 50 | 4 | 11,402 | 535.0 |
Daniels | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1,690 | 177.5 |
Dawson | 31 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 8,613 | 359.9 |
Deer Lodge[lower-alpha 6] | 30 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 9,140 | 328.2 |
Fallon | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2,846 | 70.3 |
Fergus | 23 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 11,050 | 208.1 |
Flathead | 412 | 3 | 312 | 46 | 103,806 | 396.9 |
Gallatin | 993 | 3 | 926 | 43 | 114,434 | 867.7 |
Garfield | 12 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 1,258 | 953.9 |
Glacier | 92 | 1 | 65 | 1 | 13,753 | 668.9 |
Golden Valley | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 821 | 365.4 |
Granite | 18 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 3,379 | 532.7 |
Hill | 48 | 2 | 40 | 0 | 16,484 | 291.2 |
Jefferson | 32 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 12,221 | 261.8 |
Judith Basin | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2,007 | 149.5 |
Lake | 189 | 1 | 157 | 10 | 30,458 | 620.5 |
Lewis and Clark | 180 | 2 | 111 | 5 | 69,432 | 259.2 |
Liberty | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2,337 | 42.8 |
Lincoln | 79 | 2 | 67 | 3 | 19,980 | 395.4 |
Madison | 87 | 1 | 79 | 23 | 8,600 | 1,011.6 |
McCone | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1,664 | 300.5 |
Meagher | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1,862 | 214.8 |
Mineral | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4,397 | 45.5 |
Missoula | 388 | 2 | 234 | 7 | 119,600 | 324.4 |
Musselshell | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4,633 | 86.3 |
Park | 63 | 0 | 54 | 8 | 16,606 | 379.4 |
Petroleum | 0 | – | – | – | 487 | 0 |
Phillips | 93 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 3,954 | 2,352.0 |
Pondera | 13 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 5,911 | 219.9 |
Powder River | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1,682 | 59.5 |
Powell | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6,890 | 29.0 |
Prairie | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,077 | 92.9 |
Ravalli | 88 | 2 | 70 | 8 | 43,806 | 200.9 |
Richland | 50 | 2 | 43 | 0 | 10,803 | 462.8 |
Roosevelt | 30 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 11,004 | 272.6 |
Rosebud | 79 | 1 | 22 | 0 | 8,937 | 884.0 |
Sanders | 18 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 12,113 | 148.6 |
Sheridan | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3,309 | 151.1 |
Silver Bow[lower-alpha 7] | 106 | 0 | 79 | 4 | 34,915 | 303.6 |
Stillwater | 32 | 1 | 20 | 1 | 9,642 | 331.9 |
Sweet Grass | 7 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3,737 | 187.3 |
Teton | 16 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 6,147 | 260.3 |
Toole | 47 | 6 | 29 | 2 | 4,736 | 992.4 |
Treasure | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 696 | 287.4 |
Valley | 36 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 7,396 | 486.7 |
Wheatland | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2,126 | 141.1 |
Wibaux | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 969 | 309.6 |
Yellowstone | 1,539 | 32 | 846 | 20 | 161,300 | 954.1 |
Updated August 18, 2020 Data is publicly reported by Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services[31][32] | ||||||
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Demographics
Source: Analysis by the Montana DPHHS, as of August 18, 2020.
See also
- Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- COVID-19 pandemic in the United States – for impact on the country
- COVID-19 pandemic – for impact on other countries
References
- "Governor Bullock confirms four presumptively positive Coronavirus cases in Montana". KXLH. 2020-03-14. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
- "Coronavirus". dphhs.mt.gov. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
- "Montanan diagnosed with coronavirus in Maryland did not have disease in Montana". KTVQ. 2020-03-11. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
- "GOVERNOR BULLOCK DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY IN MONTANA RELATED TO COVID-19". montana.gov. 2020-03-12.
- "COVID-19 in Montana: new cases, two public leaders in isolation". KXLH. 2020-03-15. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
- "Bullock directs two-week closure of public K-12 schools in Montana". KRTV. 2020-03-15. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
- "Coronavirus Closure: Lewis & Clark Library will close beginning Tuesday, Mar. 17". KXLH. 2020-03-15. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
- "City of Helena declares State of Emergency". KXLH. 2020-03-16. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
- "Two more COVID-19 cases in Montana". KXLH. 2020-03-17. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
- "Helena Roman Catholic Diocese suspends public masses and other events". KXLH. 2020-03-18. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
- "Governor Bullock to announce new efforts to respond to COVID-19 cases and its impact on Montanans". KXLH. 2020-03-17. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
- "Governor Bullock confirms two more positive cases of Coronavirus in Montana". KXLH. 2020-03-19. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
- "Bullock shuts down dine-in restaurants and other businesses statewide". KTVQ. 2020-03-20. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
- "3 cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) confirmed in Cascade County". KXLH. 2020-03-22. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
- "Survey finds Montana "least affected" state for COVID-19 related unemployment claims". KTVQ. May 14, 2020. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
- "Coronavirus: Montana moves to Phase 2 reopening guidelines Monday". Missoula Current. June 1, 2020. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
- "Montana Entering Phase 2 Of COVID-19 Reopening Plan". Montana Public Radio. May 29, 2020. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
- "'Busier and busier': Montana entrances to Yellowstone open to visitors". Bozeman Daily Chronicle. June 1, 2020. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
- "Limited reopening coming next week for Glacier National Park". Great Falls Tribune. June 3, 2020. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
- "Stay at Home Directive" (PDF). Office of the Governor, State of Montana. 2020-03-26.
- Briggeman, Kim (2020-04-04). "Waiting on the surge: Montana's rural hospitals gear up for COVID-19". missoulian.com. Retrieved 2020-04-04.
- Michels, Holly K. (2020-04-04). "Bullock ramps up food security; ports of entry cut hours". missoulian.com. Retrieved 2020-04-04.
- Johnson, Martin (2020-07-15). "Montana governor issues mask mandate for 25 counties". TheHill. Retrieved 2020-07-16.
- Erik Olsen, “Bullock working on ‘phased reopening’ of Montana”, Q2 Billings
- "Montana to begin statewide COVID-19 testing of asymptomatic individuals". KTVQ. June 4, 2020. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
- "Bullock issues directive to correctional facilities in Montana". NBC Montana. April 1, 2020. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
- "Officials issue masks for prisoners; Shelby prison backs off waiver requirement". Missoulian. April 19, 2020. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
- "Montana's number of inmates with COVID-19 is 'misleading,' lawmaker says". Missoulian. May 14, 2020. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
- "State ramps up COVID-19 testing in correctional facilities". Montana Free Press. May 15, 2020. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
- "Lawmakers ask Montana Department of Corrections for plan on COVID-19 outbreak". Billings Gazette. June 4, 2020. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
- "Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)". Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
- "MONTANA RESPONSE: COVID-19 - Coronavirus - Global, National, and State Information Resources". Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to COVID-19 pandemic in Montana. |
- Information from the State of Montana