Missoula County has marked a new daily COVID-19 case record. Health officials expect the community’s viral surge, largely driven by unvaccinated young adults, will soon reach troubling new heights.
Missoula recorded 157 new COVID-19 cases this past Saturday. According to local health officials, that's the highest report of new daily cases since the pandemic’s start.
Local health officials anticipate the county will likely break its record high of total active cases Wednesday morning.
Missoula City-County Health officer D’Shane Barnett says just over 50% of local 20- to 29-year-olds have received at least one vaccination. Barnett says that age group also makes up most of Missoula’s cases.
Health officials say they’re also fielding reports of employers asking employees to come to work despite testing positive for COVID-19. Health officials discourage that practice, saying it will only exacerbate the disease’s spread.
