Yellowstone County's reported COVID-19-related death toll rose by three Wednesday to a total of 442.
New deaths included two reported Tuesday and one discovered in early November following a death certificate review, according to RiverStone Health, the county's public-health agency.
The deaths included:
- An unvaccinated man in his 70s with underlying medical conditions who died Tuesday at a Billings hospital.
- An unvaccinated woman in her 80s with underlying medical conditions who died Tuesday at a Billings hospital.
- A woman in her 70s who died Nov. 3 at home. No information was available about her vaccination status.
On Wednesday, Billings hospitals had 75 COVID-19 inpatients, including 55 who weren’t vaccinated and 20 who were vaccinated. Among the hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 22 were in ICU and 16 were on ventilators.
The majority of Yellowstone County people hospitalized with COVID-19 illness and the majority of those who have died were not vaccinated against this virus. The safest, most effective way to reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 illness and death is to get vaccinated as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vaccinations for people age 5 and older are available at local pharmacies, clinics and hospitals.
Vaccination clinic Tuesday
Because of the Thanksgiving holiday this week, the next free, walk-in COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Cedar Hall at MetraPark will be Tuesday, November 30, from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Masks are required at the Cedar Hall vaccination clinics. Children under 18 must have signed parental consent for vaccination. All walk-in clinics will offer all three of the U.S. approved vaccines.
Drive-through testing closed
The free, drive-through community testing site in the St. Vincent Healthcare parking lot M at North 28th Street and 11th Avenue North closed at noon today and will remain closed for Thanksgiving on Thursday and Friday. The testing site will reopen on Monday at 9 a.m.