Montana COVID-19 numbers as of 4-20

For the first time since the COVID-19 virus began being tested in Montana on March 11, Sunday was the first time that there were no new cases reported by the Montana state lab among the 135 tests administered.

Monday did, however, mark the 11th death associated to the COVID-19 virus as a woman in her 80s from Toole County passed away. Toole County has had five of the total 11 deaths attributed to the COVID-19 virus in Montana.

“As we continue to learn more about how this virus can impact a rural community, I’m grateful for the dedicated health care workers serving on the frontline and encourage all Montanans to continue doing everything they can to stop this virus,” Montana Governor Steve Bullock said Monday afternoon. “My family is with the family of this Montanan and the Toole County community.”

Thus far, 243 of the total 433 total confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus have recovered.

There are currently no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Phillips County nor any county that boarders Phillips (Blaine, Fergus, Petroleum, Garfield, or Valley.) Of Montana's 56 counties, 27 counties have no confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus, and of the 29 that do, five counties have one confirmed case (a total of 18 counties have eight or fewer confirmed cases.)

Gallatin County has 143 cases of COVID-19, Yellowstone has 72, 38 in Missoula County, 29 in Toole County, and 16 in Lewis and Clark County to round up the top five infected counties in Montana.

The Associated Press reported that Gov. Bullock plans to begin a phased re-opening of the state’s economy after the April 24 stay-at-home directive expires. The governor said he’s been working with business leaders and public health experts to determine how the state’s economy could be re-opened while keeping people safe and avoiding another outbreak of coronavirus.