As Montana continues to experience a state-wide surge in cases of the novel coronavirus, the Flathead City-County Health Department has confirmed one additional death due to COVID-19, bringing the county’s total up to 27.
The health department announced the death in a press release today but provided no further details about the individual.
“We express our sincerest sympathies to all that have been affected by this death,” said Tamalee St. James Robinson, interim health officer of the Flathead City-County Health Department.
The death toll on the statewide online tracker has been increasing on a daily basis recently, with 337 total deaths reported as of Thursday. This morning, the state announced 891 new cases of the virus, sending the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state higher than 30,000.
Flathead County has been experiencing a prolonged surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in recent weeks. As of Wednesday, according to the health department, there were more than 500 active cases, including 59 new ones, along with 26 current hospitalizations.
The county has been at a high level of hospitalizations, community concern and case numbers per investigator, according to the health department’s community indicators report, which uses a three-level scale, while contact monitoring abilities and test turnaround time are at a level two.
In its press release, the Flathead City-County Health Department said it will continue to update its novel coronavirus website daily with case counts and press releases.