Cascade County adds 9 COVID-19 deaths, cases now pass 57K in state

Nine more people have died in Cascade County due to coronavirus-related illness between Thursday and Monday, health department officials said, bringing the county's total number of fatalities to 67.

They included four men and one woman in their 80s, two men in their 70s, a woman in her 60s and a man in his 40s.

"I am deeply saddened that more lives have been lost to this virus,” Cascade City-County Health Officer Trisha Gardner said. “Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of these individuals. Please continue to support these families, as well as all your community members by taking all the steps available to prevent further spread from happening.” 

The state on Tuesday reported 57,504 confirmed cases of COVID-19, which is 974 more than Monday, and 630 deaths, which is 16 more than Monday. Topping the list, the state reported 140 new cases each in Cascade and Flathead counties.

Of the 57,504 cases, 40,686 are recovered and 16,180 are active, according to covid19.mt.gov. There are 467 people who remain hospitalized out of 2,420 total hospitalizations. The state has administered 622,796 tests for the respiratory illness, which is 4,822 more than Monday.

According to the state, Cascade County now has 2,104 active cases of COVID-19 and 2,425 recoveries.

The Montana Department of Corrections said Tuesday a 62-year-old Montana State Prison inmate died at St. James Healthcare in Butte on Nov. 23. It was the fourth COVID-19-related inmate death. officials said.

RiverStone Health, Yellowstone County’s public health department, reported a man in his 70s died Nov. 22 and a woman in her 80s died Nov. 23. Both were in Billings hospitals. The county has now had 116 coronavirus-related deaths.

Also on Tuesday, the Department of Public Health and Human Services had the first meeting of a COVID-19 Vaccination Plan Coordination Team comprised of more than 60 people from key groups statewide.

“Montana continues to tighten its preparations for a successful distribution of COVID-19 vaccine once it becomes available,” Bekki Wehner, head of the DPHHS Communicable Disease Control and Emergency Preparedness Bureau, said in a news release.

DPHHS officials provided the team with an overview of the state’s COVID-19 vaccination plan, gave an update on vaccine provider enrollment, long-term care facility and pharmacy partnerships, update on vaccine types, tribal jurisdiction allocations, how doses will be tracked, the vaccine authorization process, and initial vaccine allocation recommendations.

The team includes representatives from health systems and hospitals, local county health departments, tribal governments, long-term care facilities, correctional facilities, emergency management services, rural health clinics, pharmacies, business and occupational health organizations, peoples with disabilities, educational agencies and providers, religious leaders, organizations serving racial and ethnic minorities and people with limited English proficiency, and community representatives, state officials said.

It includes those who represent people most at-risk for COVID-19.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines call for the initial limited vaccine supply to be offered to people at the highest risk of life-threatening infection, state officials said. This includes health care frontline workers, the elderly, those with underlying medical conditions and those at higher risk, such as tribal communities, long-term care facilities and other congregate settings.

Also on Tuesday, Governor-elect Greg Gianforte’s COVID-19 Task Force was to have its first meeting. Gianforte said the task force “will help chart the best path forward for Montana” to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.

Elsewhere in northcentral and northeastern Montana, Lewis and Clark County had 92 new reports, Hill had 24, Fergus had 19 and Chouteau had 13.

Valley had 13, Dawson and Glacier had 11 each, Blaine and Phillips each had eight, Pondera had six and Meagher and Wibaux each had five. Roosevelt had four and Fallon had three, according to covid19.mt.gov.

Daniels, Liberty and Teton each had two. Judith Basin, Prairie, Sheridan and Toole each had one.

Elsewhere in Montana, Yellowstone County had 94, Gallatin had 80, Missoula had 59 and Custer and Silver Bow had 41 each. Jefferson County had 24, Ravalli had 20 and Lincoln had 13.

Sanders had 12, Lake had 11, Stillwater had nine and Beaverhead, Carbon and Park had eight each. Deer Lodge had six, Big Horn had five and Powder River and Sweet Grass each had four.

Musselshell and Rosebud each had three, Powell had two and Garfield and Madison each had one.

Gov. Steve Bullock said Monday more than 100 contracted medical staff from across the country are now in Montana to help hospitals respond to COVID-19 and with health care worker shortages due to quarantine or isolation.

The 110 medical workers were through the Bellevue-Wash.-based talent solution NuWest Group, come from across the nation and include registered nurses and respiratory therapists, Bullock said. They arrived throughout the weekend and are in hospitals at or nearing capacity in Montana, with an anticipated total of 200 staff deployed before Thanksgiving. They will serve until the end of this year.

The majority is helping at Benefis Health System, Billings Clinic, Kalispell Regional Medical Center and St. Vincent Healthcare. They are also at Great Falls Clinic Hospital, Bozeman Health, Community Medical Center, Livingston Healthcare, Providence St. Patrick Hospital, and St. James Healthcare.

Reporter Phil Drake is our eye on the state capitol. For tips, suggestions or comment, he can be reached at 406-231-9021 or pdrake@greatfallstribune.com. To support his work, subscribe today and get a special offer.