Montana Flu Activity Rises as Data Reporting Narrows

Residents tracking respiratory illness will see less routine public case data this season, while flu hospitalizations already exceed last year's pace.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in COVID-19

Montana Flu Activity Rises as Data Reporting Narrows

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Do you plan to get a flu vaccine this season?

Montana's 2026 flu season is running more active than at the same point last year, with 48 flu hospitalizations and one flu death reported statewide as of Oct. 24. The state's new disease reporting rules, effective Sept. 26, 2026, no longer require routine tracking of individual COVID-19 cases or aggregate seasonal flu counts.

Why it matters

Montana residents who want to gauge local respiratory illness activity will have less routine public data to rely on, since providers no longer track routine individual COVID-19 cases or aggregate seasonal flu counts. The state said the change reduces administrative burden on healthcare providers and shifts resources toward severe health threats.

The figures come from Montana state health reporting covering flu, RSV, and COVID-19 as of Oct. 24, 2026, with 265 RSV tests performed and 0.38 percent positive. The comparison to last year's count is limited to the same early-season point, so it does not indicate how the full season will end.

The players

Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS)

The state agency that oversees public health surveillance and disease reporting rules in Montana.

One Health

A Miles City health provider planning a public flu vaccination clinic at 601 Main St.

The details

Under the revised rules, providers are no longer required to report routine individual COVID-19 cases or aggregate seasonal influenza counts. Commercial laboratories must instead send positive and negative results for flu, RSV, and hepatitis through automated electronic reporting systems.

Sept. 26, 2026: New communicable disease reporting rules took effect.
Oct. 24, 2026: Most recent date for state flu and respiratory reporting data.
Nov. 2, 2026: Miles City flu vaccination clinic date still not finalized.

Health Landscape

Montana's revised rules narrow routine public tracking of seasonal respiratory illness, moving reporting toward severe threats and away from routine case counts. The approach reflects a broader state-level shift in how public health agencies allocate surveillance resources after the pandemic.

If you are planning to get a flu shot this season, Montana residents can check the One Health clinic at 601 Main St. in Miles City, open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or ask about vaccines at Albertsons pharmacy. Because routine case counts are now less available, it is worth discussing your respiratory illness risk and vaccination timing with your doctor.

The takeaway

Flu activity in Montana is higher than at this point last year, so getting vaccinated is a practical step to consider. Ask your healthcare provider about flu vaccination timing, since public case counts will now be less routine.