Missoula sees fifth death as hospitals fill

Town Crier “Briefs from the Region” (2) – 10/12/20

In the past week, Montana has almost doubled the number of active statewide cases of COVID-19, from 4,100 to 6,330, worrying health officials. There are currently 266 residents in the hospital, and Missoula County just reported a fifth resident died of complications from the respiratory disease. Hospitals across the state have reported that their critical care beds are currently at or above the 50 percent capacity mark, including Gallatin, Lincoln and Missoula.

“We’re here for the community and we will do the best that we can, but I do have significant concerns regarding the trend that we’re seeing right now,” Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital CEO John Bishop said to The Missoulian. “As of this morning, we have the capacity for a couple more patients, but that doesn’t necessarily mean just COVID cases. We have to be here to treat ever patient for every type of condition that comes to the hospital.”​