State reports record number of daily COVID-19 cases

Montana’s COVID-19 Task Force announced 37 new cases Thursday morning, the highest number of daily positives reported since the start of the state’s outbreak.

Prior to Thursday, the state’s highest daily report was 35 cases, which were announced on March 26, the same day Gov. Steve Bullock announced the start of his shelter-in-place order.

After March 26, there was a relatively steady decline in cases and for a large stretch in April and early May few to no cases were reported. Case counts started steadily increasing in late May — a climb that can be partially contributed to more widespread testing efforts.

The state has now performed nearly 80,000 tests and there are 803 cumulative cases that have been reported since the start of the outbreak. Currently, the Task Force’s website is showing 572 individuals have recovered, 210 of the cases are active. There are currently 15 active hospitalizations statewide.

At this point, 19 counties are showing no cases, including Sanders, Mineral, Powell, Teton, Choteau, Carter and Fallon counties. Gallatin County still has the most cumulative confirmed positives, at 223.

As for the new 37 cases announced Thursday, 10 are in Yellowstone County, seven in Gallatin, five in Dawson, four in Missoula and the remainder are spread throughout seven other counties.

Flathead County reported two new positive cases, a female and a male both ages 30 to 39. That brings the county’s cumulative case count to 51. According to the Flathead City-County Health Department’s website, only 10 of those cases are considered “active.”

For up-to-date information on cases in Flathead County, go to the health department’s website at https://flatheadhealth.org/novel-coronavirus-covid-19/

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