Cascade County added 474 new COVID cases over the last week, bringing the cumulative total to 16.455, according to the weekly update from the City-County Health Department.

That brought the case rate up to 83.22 per 100,000, over last week’s 78.7 per 100,000. The case rate is the average of new cases daily over seven days and is calculated on Wednesdays.

The positivity rate came down this week to 11.4 percent, from last week’s 13.1 percent, but that’s still considered high according to CCHD.

Cascade County adds 448 new COVID cases this week

There were five new COVID-related deaths over the last week, according to CCHD.

Of those, according to CCHD:

• 3 males, 2 females
• 4 age 80-90, 1 age 60-70
• All 5 had underlying health conditions and 2 were residing in hospice
• 2 were fully vaccinated

There were 96 new breakthrough cases, bringing the total to 1,211 since February.

Breakthrough cases are when a fully vaccinated person tests positive for COVID. Fully vaccinated means two weeks have elapsed since a person completed the full initial series of the vaccine, which is two doses for Pfizer and Moderna and one dose for Johnson and Johnson.

As of Nov. 15, there were 23 COVID patients hospitalized at Benefis Health System, of which six had been vaccinated. Five COVID patients were in the ICU and four were on venitalors at Benefis, none of whom has been vaccinated.

GFPS changes COVID policy; Benefis requiring vaccine for employees under federal rule

Benefis reported to the state that on Nov. 15 it was at capacity with those COVID patients and 136 non-COVID patients hospitalized.

COVID case rates comes down this week in Cascade County

The Great Falls Clinic had one COVID patient and 12 non-COVID patients hospitalized, according to the state.

As of Nov. 19, there were 18 active COVID cases within Great Falls Public Schools. The district posts its numbers on Fridays and uses case information from school nurses for their case counts.