Jul 16, 2020 - Health

Montana governor issues mask mandate

Steve Bullock in 2019. Photo: Joshua Lott/Getty Images

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock (D) on Wednesday issued a statewide order requiring people in the state to use face coverings in public indoor spaces effective immediately to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Why it matters: Montana is the 26th state in addition to the District of Columbia to mandate the use of face masks as COVID-19 cases continue to increase across the U.S.

What they're saying: "Many Montanans answered the call to mask up – a call that came from our hospitals, nurses, and doctors, our vibrant small business community, our frontline workers, and our high-risk neighbors. But we need even more Montanans, and the visitors who come here, to mask up," Bullock wrote on Twitter.

The big picture: The state has reported 2,096 cases and 34 deaths from the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Montana reported 109 new cases on Tuesday.

Go deeper: Walmart will require all customers to wear masks

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Shawna Chen
Oct 21, 2020 - Health

CDC changes "close contact" guidance for COVID-19

Photo Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photos: Noam Galai, Jamie McCarthy, Josep LAGO / AFP, Alfredo ESTRELLA / AFP, and Narayan Maharjan/NurPhoto, all via Getty Images

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention expanded its definition of who is considered a “close contact” of an individual infected with the coronavirus in a report released Wednesday.

Why it matters: The update is likely to pose challenges for schools, workplaces and other group settings as the U.S. prepares for a third coronavirus wave. It also reinforces the importance of masks in the face of President Trump’s repeated attempts to belittle their efficacy.

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Oriana Gonzalez
Oct 21, 2020 - World

Spain becomes first nation in Western Europe to exceed 1 million COVID-19 cases

Photo: Miquel Benitez/Getty Images

Spain exceeded 1 million confirmed coronavirus cases on Wednesday, becoming the first country in Western Europe to hit the milestone, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

The state of play: Spain, which reported 16,973 cases over the previous 24 hours, was one of the most affected countries when the pandemic started, and cases have been on the rise since September, according to NPR.

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Orion Rummler
Oct 21, 2020 - Health

New York reports most coronavirus cases since May

Gov. Andrew Cuomo at an Oct. 6 press briefing. Photo: Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images

New York reported over 2,000 positive coronavirus cases on Wednesday — the most infections seen in the state since May, per COVID Tracking Project (CTP) and health department data.

The big picture: Hospitalizations have been creeping back up in New York, alongside 38 other states. New York is currently seeing more than 900 hospitalizations a day, the CTP reports.

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