MONDAY UPDATES: MUPD says officer hospitalized for COVID-19
COVID-19 case numbers might differ among state and local health authorities because of issues with reporting and address verification.
UPDATE 5:40 P.M.: The University of Missouri Police Department said Monday that one of its two officers who tested positive for COVID-19 is hospitalized.
The department said on March 27 that two of its officers had tested positive for COVID-19. One of the officers has recovered but the other is hospitalized.
The department said on Facebook on Monday that a fund has been created to help the officer's family.
MUPD said all of the money will go to the officer and the officer's family.
UPDATE 5:15 P.M.: The Saline County Health Department reported Monday that 35 county residents have tested positive for COVID-19.
The count was up from 28 on Friday.
Boone County reported no new cases Monday, with the number staying at 79. Of those patients, 66 have recovered. Cole County continued to report 37 cases with 30 recoveries. One person has died from COVID-19 in Boone and Cole counties.
State officials said Monday that 4,388 people have tested positive statewide for COVID-19. Of those, 114 have died -- 109 of them age 50 and older.
UPDATE 5:05 P.M.: State health officials on Monday asked Missourians who have recovered from COVID-19 to donate plasma.
Health officials hope the plasma can help people currently suffering from COVID-19 in a type of treatment called "convalescent plasma." Convalescent plasma is used to treat and prevent viral diseases, such as COVID-19, which is caused by the novel coronavirus.
"People who have fully recovered from COVID-19 have antibodies in their plasma that have the potential to work against the virus," the state Department of Health and Senior Services said in a news release. "The plasma obtained from the blood of people who recovered from COVID-19 (convalescent plasma) is being evaluated as treatment for hospitalized patients with serious or immediately life-threatening COVID-19 infections, or those judged by a healthcare provider to be at high risk of progression to severe or life-threatening disease."
Donors, who will not be paid, must be 18 or older and cannot be pregnant. They need to be symptom-free for 14 days, as well.
University of Missouri Health Care in Columbia is taking part in the project. More information about how to volunteer is available by clicking here.
UPDATE 4:15 P.M.: State Sen. Caleb Rowden, the chamber's majority floor leader, tweeted Monday that the Missouri General Assembly plans to resume action this month.
Work in the state House and Senate stopped last month as the COVID-19 pandemic grew and a House member was hospitalized. Lawmakers got back to business last week but only to approve billions in federal funding.
Rowden tweeted Monday that the plan to return April 27 is tentative. He said a statement from legislative leaders with more information is expected in the next 24 hours.
The legislature must have a budget on Gov. Mike Parson's desk by May 8.
UPDATE 3:55 P.M.: The city of Columbia is asking for proposals from companies and organizations to operate an official homeless camp during the COVID-19 epidemic.
The request says the camp should operate through May 1. It was approved at last week's Columbia City Council meeting, but the city put out a news release about the request Monday.
The city wants the site to have 70 individual camping sites, potable water, portable toilets and hand-washing stations. Proposals are due at 5 p.m. Friday.
UPDATE 2:45 P.M.: A Columbia assisted living center where a resident tested positive last week for COVID-19 said Monday that no one else has tested positive.
A spokeswoman for Cedarhurst Senior Living said the company is waiting on four more results after testing all residents and staff. Other than the original resident who tested positive, no one else has been positive for COVID-19.
The complex has 63 assisted living apartments and 34 special memory care apartments. It is located along Chapel Hill Road across from Twin Lakes Park.
Nursing homes and assisted living centers have been hit hard during the COVID-19 outbreak. Older adults are considered at higher risk of complications from the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
Of Missouri's 114 deaths, 109 are in people 50 years old and older. The lone COVID-19 death in Boone County was a person in their 60s who contracted the virus while traveling.
Watch a report from Friday about steps being taken at Cedarhurst in the player below.
UPDATE 1:55 P.M.: The number of COVID-19 cases in Missouri jumped more than 200 between Sunday and Monday but state officials only reported a few new deaths.
The state health department reported 4,388 cases of COVID-19 on Monday, up from 4,160 on Sunday. The state reported 114 deaths, up from 110 on Sunday.
St. Louis County still leads the state in cases with more than 1,600 reported as of Sunday. The state reported 82 cases in Boone, 37 in Cole and 20 in Callaway. In some cases those numbers differ than those reported by local authorities.
Of the 114 deaths, 109 are in people 50 and older.
As of Sunday more than 45,000 people had been tested statewide. The state reported 549 people hospitalized as of Saturday, the most recent day numbers were available.
The state reported about 2,700 positive cases a week ago.
University of Missouri Health Care reported Monday that it had three patients hospitalized with COVID-19.
UPDATE 12:29 P.M.: Mexico city leaders said Monday they recommend residents not hold garage sales or yard sales amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Facebook post from the city hall said residents should maintain social distancing orders currently in place. The post added residents should not create places for people to gather and unnecessary traffic in neighborhoods.
As of Monday afternoon, the Audrain County Health Department hasn't confirmed any cases of COVID-19.
A post from the health department's Facebook page said 36 people in the county have been tested for novel coronavirus.
Gov. Mike Parson's stay-at-home order is scheduled to remain in effect through April 24.
ORIGINAL: The 13th Judicial Circuit, made of up courts in Boone and Callaway counties, will not seat juries until at least May 11.
Presiding Judge Kevin Crane on Saturday ordered that jury trials be postponed again, this time until May 11. Crane had previously ordered jury activities suspended until April 24.
Courts are still doing business but activities are limited and courts are not open to the public in a move to slow down the spread of COVID-19. Boone County and the state remain under stay-at-home orders, as well.
Crane also ordered that hearings set for dates between April 27 and May 7 can be heard or suspended at the judge's discretion.
The order also suspends evictions until June 1.
