TUESDAY UPDATES: Mizzou IFC holds virtual recruitment
UPDATE 9:30 P.M.: The Mizzou Interfraternity Council announced Tuesday that recruitment would be held virtually.
The organization posted on social media that recruitment would continue virtually to ensure the safety of current and future members.
The post said that the move would also make sure the Mizzou community remains safe amid the pandemic.
According to the IFC website, fall recruitment is scheduled for Tuesday through Sunday.
There had already been some measures in place. The website said that all potential members and current members would be required to wear a mask throughout recruitment.
On Monday, the University of Missouri told students, faculty and staff not to attend events with more than 20 people.
MU sent out a notice to campus about new COVID-19 policies Monday. Among the policies is one that bars attendance at those events either on- or off-campus.
"An event is defined as a communal gathering on or off campus, outside of a classroom setting, lasting longer than 15 minutes," according to the notice. "Please note that this new policy uses a lower limit than Boone County’s maximum of 100 attendees."
UPDATE 6:20 P.M.: Cole County reported an additional 18 COVID-19 cases Tuesday, with some of those cases added to a record-setting weekend total.
The Cole County Health Department reported 603 cases Tuesday, bringing the county's August total to 312. Some of the new cases reported Tuesday were from positive results over the weekend, pushing Saturday's single-day record case number to 66.
Cases have grown quickly in Cole County as numbers surge statewide. The health department said in a news release Tuesday that many of the new cases can be attributed to county residents not following guidelines such as social distancing and wearing masks.
"We are urging everyone to continue to take responsibility for their own health and to protect others," the department said.
Cole County's active cases shrank one to reach 147. That number has more than doubled in a week -- it was at 73 last Tuesday.
The number could in part be fueled by an outbreak at the Jefferson City Manor nursing home. The home on Monday said dozens of residents and staff have been infected with the novel coronavirus and three residents have died.
Cases are also growing quickly in Howard County, which added seven on Tuesday. The county is up to 72 total cases with 20 of them active.
Another local hot spot, Pettis County, reported 15 new cases Tuesday, though active cases shrank by eight. Pettis Couny reported its fifth COVID-19 death this week.
Other Mid-Missouri counties reporting new cases include Audrain (1), Osage (1), Randolph (3) and Montgomery (3 since Friday).
Montgomery County also reported its first death from COVID-19 on Tuesday. The health department said the person was elderly and had underlying conditions.
The county had 51 total cases as of Tuesday.
Boone County new cases double; Sturgeon schools make mask rules
UPDATE 4:40 P.M.: Boone County reported double the number of new COVID-19 cases Tuesday compared to Monday.
The county health department said it was notified of 22 cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 1,641 since the pandemic began. The department had reported just 11 cases Monday, the first time that number had dipped into the teens since last Wednesday.
The health department reported Tuesday that 307 of the cases were active, an increase of eight from Monday. Another 553 people were in quarantine because they've had close contact with someone who tested positive -- an increase of 51 from the day before.
Despite the jump in cases Tuesday, the five-day rolling average of new daily cases dropped from 28.2 to 27.6.
Boone County has seen large swings in cases this summer, though the trend of new cases and positive tests has been going up. The trend has prompted local leaders to urge responsibility as school starts again, even cautioning students against going to house parties.
The University of Missouri this week also announced a ban on school events of more than 20 people.
Columbia Public Schools uses cases over the last two weeks per 10,000 people within the district's boundaries to determine what classes will look like when school starts Sept. 8. That number was at 24.1 Monday, the most recent figure available.
The current number means children will be in classrooms for part of the week. For in-person classes each day, the rate would have to reach 10 or fewer. For classes to go all online the rate has to hit 50 cases.
School officials plan to announce how classes will be conducted next Monday.
Sturgeon schools implement mask rules
The Sturgeon School District will require face masks for staff when social distancing is not possible and for students in some situations, the district said Tuesday.
Sturgeon posted its revised reopening plan Tuesday after a school board meeting the previous night. The district posted the revised plan on its website with a letter to parents from Superintendent Geoff Neill.
"This decision was made based on updated information from the CDC and the Boone County Health Department," Neill wrote.
The registration deadline has been extended through Friday because of the change, Neill said.
The changes to the plan say students are encouraged to wear cloth masks and that students on buses, in small work groups, passing in the halls, going to the bathroom and in choir will have to wear masks.
Staff are required to wear them any time social distancing is not possible.
The small district in northern Boone County also draws from Audrain and Randolph counties.
Osage County warns of restaurant exposure; Gasconade County reports first death
The Osage County Health Department is telling people who were at a Linn restaurant Friday to monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms.
Department administrator Susan Long said a person who tested positive for COVID-19 was at BJ's Restaurant in Linn from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday.
Long said anyone who was at the restaurant should self-monitor for symptoms through Monday. Anyone who was at the restaurant and has symptoms should contact a health care provider.
Gasconade County, which shares a border with Osage County, reported its first COVID-19 death Tuesday.
The county health department asked residents to continue to use social distancing, good hygiene and to wear masks.
Missouri's new cases below 1,000
EDITOR'S NOTE: The number of deaths was reported incorrectly because of a source error. The correct number is six.
UPDATE 2:51 P.M.: Missouri's new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday fell below 1,000 for the first time in a week.
A tweet from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said 26 people died from coronavirus over the last 24 hours. However, the correct number was six.
The increase brought the state's total to 1,402.
The department included new COVID-19 cases topped out just shy of 800 bringing the state's total since the pandemic started to 69,417. Tuesday's caseload was about 350 less than Monday's increase.
Last Tuesday's increase came in at 981. The state has added 8,482 positive cases since then. The seven-day average hit 1,211.
The state's rolling positivity rate stayed the same from Monday at 11.2%.
State health officials have tested 867,481 Missourians for COVID-19 since the pandemic started.
Coronavirus hospitalizations increased to 891 on Sunday, the last day for which data is available. The number increased by almost 40 over the last 24 hours.
Increasing COVID-19 cases in Cole County blamed on disregard for health guidelines
The Cole County Health Department said in a release Tuesday morning increased COVID-19 cases are linked to a lack of following health guidelines.
According to the news release, 72% of the county's positive coronavirus cases have been traced back to travel or contact with a known COVID-19 case.
Health officials said "positive cases in the community have increased because of increased interaction and a lack of following issued guidance."
The release added the current COVID-19 outbreak at Jefferson City Manor Care was not linked to increased interaction.
More than half of the residents at the skilled nursing facility have tested positive for COVID-19. At least three residents have died since receiving their test results.
As of Tuesday, Cole County did not have a mask ordinance in place.
Health department data said there were 148 positive COVID-19 cases in the county and 435 recovered cases. The data was last updated Monday night.
The county set a daily case increase record over the weekend with 57 testing positive on Saturday.
The release included people should socially distance from others at 6 feet and to wear a mask when social distancing isn't possible.
It added cloth masks are not a substitute for social distancing.
"Interactions within 6 feet of a positive case for more than 15 minutes will be considered exposure regardless if either person is wearing a cloth face covering," the release said.
Health officials said cloth masks should be washed after each use.
