FRIDAY UPDATES: Cooper County Fair Board cancels fair over COVID-19 concerns
COVID-19 case numbers might differ among state and local health authorities because of issues with reporting and address verification.
UPDATE 10:15 P.M.: The Cooper County Fair Board has canceled the 2020 county fair over COVID-19 concerns.
According to a post on the Cooper County Youth Fair Facebook page, the board will continue to consider other ways people can safely showcase projects and livestock this year. The post said the board will seek input from club leaders and parents.
Officials said that it was a difficult decision that came after "much heartfelt discussion."
The board said that the safety of exhibitors and spectators is its number one priority.
State Rep. Sarah Walsh tweeted about the decision Friday night, saying her "heart aches" for all of the kids who have been working on projects and livestock for the fair.
UPDATE 4:35 P.M.: Cole and Callaway counties reported no new COVID-19 cases Friday, continuing their pattern of little to no growth in cases.
In Cole County the number of cases remained at 53 with just two of them active. The Callaway County Health Department said cases stand at 22, with three of them active.
The Callaway County Health Department also cautioned residents to observe social distancing and be patient if they decide to go to businesses or public places such as parks this weekend.
"We are all going to have to control ourselves from the urge to do things like we did just a couple of months ago," the department said in its daily report. "Please use constraint or simply go to another place of business to get what you may need."
Capital Region to require masks
Capital Region Medical Center said it will require patients, visitors and staff in patient care areas of its buildings to wear masks starting Saturday.
The announcement came one day after University of Missouri Health Care debuted its own policy. Capital Region is an MU Health affiliate.
Hospitals began to provide more procedures this week after putting them off during stay-at-home orders. This has brought more people into the hospital and prompted the new policy, Capital Region said in a news release Friday.
“We recognize the prevalence of COVID-19 cases in our community is low, however as stay at home restrictions ease, we want to take every precaution and provide peace of mind to our community that we are committed to safety,” Dr. Randy Haight, VP of medical affairs, said in the news release. “Patients and visitors coming into the hospital or into the clinics should wear a mask. A homemade mask or face covering is acceptable.”
The medical center will also screen everyone entering its doors for COVID-19 symptoms.
UPDATE 3:10 P.M.: Nearly 600 University of Missouri employees have been furloughed, MU reported Friday on a website set up to give weekly updates about cost-cutting actions.
MU reported 579 employees have taken furloughs or been scheduled for them. That's in addition to 49 layoffs at MU Health Care reported last week.
The university reported 569 employees have taken salary reductions, with 217 of those being voluntary. The information is current as of Wednesday.
The update also said the UM System president and MU chancellor's offices, both currently held by Mun Choi, are restructuring positions. That process will include layoffs, according to the website.
MU is working to plug a $17 million budget hole for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, created by state budget withholding because of the COVID-19 pandemic. MU leaders have also asked departments for 12.5 percent budget reductions for next fiscal year, which begins July 1.
The news came the same day that nationwide unemployment soared to nearly 15 percent as restrictions meant to slow COVID-19 and public worries hit a large sector of the economy.
Boone County reports new COVID-19 case
Boone County reported one new case of COVID-19 on Friday, bringing the total to 98. Of those cases only five are considered active.
The county health department has reported only two new cases over the past week.
Officials reported 15 percent of those 98 cases are in the black population, which only makes up about 8.8 percent of the county's total population.
UPDATE 2:10 P.M.: The number of Missouri deaths from COVID-19 shot up by more than 30 on Friday, hitting one of the highest single-day totals for the second straight day.
COVID-19 cases in the state increased 148 to 9,489 and deaths increased to 449. The state health department had initially reported 418 deaths on Thursday but revised that number to 417, meaning deaths increased by 32.
The deaths made up one of the highest single-day totals since the pandemic began, but the increase in overall cases was relatively small.
Deaths went up by 21 on Thursday, which also qualified as one of the highest single-day totals yet.
Total cases increased 239 on Thursday, but the highest gain this week was Monday -- more than 300 cases. Officials chalked that up in large part to positive tests at a northwest Missouri meat processor.
St. Louis County reported 3,667 cases Friday and 246 deaths.
All but 13 of the deaths statewide are in people 50 and older.
State officials said this week that hospitalizations have fallen about 15 percent overall since their April 8 peak. However, the number continues to fluctuate.
The Missouri Hospital Association reported 917 hospitalized COVID-19 patients Friday. The number on April 8 was 1,043.
UPDATE 12:25 P.M.: St. Louis County businesses that reopen May 18 will face several restrictions, including requiring employees to wear masks, The Associated Press reported.
The businesses also will be allowed to refuse service to customers who don't have masks. St. Louis County Executive Sam Page announced reopening plans for the county Friday. Large venues, sports courts and playgrounds, public pools, gyms and fitness centers, and banquet rooms won't be able to open May 18.
Meanwhile, an outbreak at a senior living facility and a rise in cases in Kansas City are threatening to slow the next phase of that city's reopening. Seven residents and four staff members at the McCrite Plaza at Briarcliff have tested positive for COVID-19.
ORIGINAL: Hospitalizations due to the coronavirus have reached their lowest level since mid-April in the St. Louis area, the region of Missouri hit hardest by the pandemic, according to The Associated Press.
Meanwhile, an outbreak at a senior living facility and a rise in cases in Kansas City are threatening to slow the next phase of that city's reopening.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force said Thursday that 596 people diagnosed with or believed to have COVID-19 were hospitalized Thursday, the lowest number since April 11. The number of people in intensive care units and using ventilators also is declining.
The AP also reported that Missouri lawmakers are trying to spare colleges and universities from budget cuts despite plummeting revenues.
House and Senate negotiators on Thursday agreed to avoid state funding cuts to community colleges. Four-year schools will also get stable funding, but only if the state gets more federal aid.
The agreement came the same day state Budget Director Dan Haug announced net revenue collections dropped more than 54% in April compared to the same time last year. So far this year overall revenue decreased more than 6%.
Haug says when the virus hit, the state economy "turned off like a faucet."
