Two more COVID-related deaths in Hill County

Hill County Health Department in its weekly update Monday reported two more COVID-19-related deaths among Hill County residents.

“We send our condolences to the friends and families of these individuals,” the department said in the update.

That brings the total of COVID-19-related deaths in the county to 74, and comes as the number of new cases has dropped dramatically.

Hill County reported four new cases confirmed April 19 through Monday, with two active cases in the county and no hospitalizations.

COVID-19-related deaths typically come weeks, and can come months or more, after the initial confirmation of the illness.

Numbers of new cases in Montana remain low, with Blaine County reporting from April 19 through Monday three new cases and four recoveries with one active case and no hospitalizations. Blaine County has had 33 COVID-19-related deaths.

The state tracking map update Monday — today’s update was not available by printing deadline — listed 72 new cases confirmed in the state with many counties listed with no active cases and 512 active cases in the state.

The state lists a total of 3,300 COVID-19-related deaths since the start of the pandemic.

The tracking map listed no active cases and 14 deaths in Chouteau County and no active cases and four deaths in Liberty County.

Nationwide, new cases are again on the rise, and the White House is saying the nation needs to react with care and caution, but not overreact.

Vaccines, booster shots and therapeutics now available change how the nation should be reacting, is the federal government’s message.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 68,565 new cases were confirmed Friday, although the new cases dropped slightly over the weekend, The seven-day average for new cases was 44,416, up from 35,333 March 31.