BILLINGS - RiverStone Health reported Monday two more Yellowstone County residents have died of COVID-19 related illness.
The latest person to succumb to the virus was a man in his 70s who died on Thursday, Dec. 23 at a Billings hospital. He was not vaccinated and had underlying medical conditions that put him at higher risk for severe COVID-19 illness.
The Yellowstone County Clerk and Record’s office, through a review of death certificates, identified a male resident in his 80s who died on Dec. 16 at his residence. He was not vaccinated and had underlying medical conditions.
Including the deaths reported Monday, 477 Yellowstone County residents have lost their lives to the pandemic virus since the first death was reported in April 2020.
On Monday, Billings hospitals had 41 COVID-19 inpatients, 38 of whom are not vaccinated. Among the hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 17 were in ICU and 16 were on ventilators.
COVID-19 vaccines continue to be readily available at local medical clinics and pharmacies. RiverStone Health provides approved doses of the Pfizer, Moderna or J&J vaccines at free, walk-in clinics. The next COVID-19 vaccination clinic for people age five and older is:
- Thursday, Dec. 30, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at RiverStone Health, 123 S. 27th St., in the four-story building.
First, second and booster doses as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are available at the vaccination clinic. People who previously had one or two doses should bring their vaccination card. Parents must sign consent forms for children under 18.
Masks are required at the vaccination clinics.