Southwest Montana News

The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) has published a report identifying COVID-19 as the third leading cause of death in Montana for 2020. The same ranking is expected for 2021, although the data remains provisional and will be finalized in 2022.

According to state health officials, these rankings could change as more death certificate data becomes available. The report reviews COVID-19 deaths from January 1, 2020, through September 30, 2021. During this period, there were 2,100 COVID-19 related deaths among Montana residents.

Provisional data indicates that there were 1,258 COVID-19 deaths in 2020 and an additional 842 in the first nine months of 2021. October through December of 2020 saw the highest number of deaths; however, September 2021 approached previous monthly highs with continued high numbers into October.

For context, the average annual number of deaths from leading causes before the pandemic included heart disease (average of 2,206), cancer (average of 2,088), chronic lower respiratory disease (average of 720), cerebrovascular disease (average of 433), and non-motor vehicle accidents (average of 425). Heart disease and cancer remain the top two causes.

The age-adjusted mortality rate for COVID-19 in Montana was lower than the national average. Mortality increased with age and was higher among males than females. American Indian/Alaska Native residents experienced a mortality rate four times greater than white residents and died at younger ages.

Underlying conditions were present in over two-thirds (69%) of those who died from COVID-19. Common conditions included cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and respiratory diseases.

“This serves as a reminder about the importance of getting the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine,” said DPHHS Director Adam Meier. He emphasized vaccination's role in preventing severe outcomes like hospitalization and death.

Dr. Maggie Cook-Shimanek, acting State Medical Officer at DPHHS stated: “Vaccination is the best protection against COVID-19 infection.” She urged eligible Montanans to get vaccinated or receive booster shots for adequate protection.

The vaccine is available to Montanans aged twelve years and older. DPHHS also advises taking precautionary measures such as wearing masks when appropriate, avoiding large crowds, staying home when unwell, and frequent hand washing to slow virus spread.