THURSDAY UPDATES: Cooper County reports five COVID-19 deaths in weekly post
Cooper County Health Center is reporting five COVID-19 related death in their weekly update.
The health center reports 21 total deaths since August 9, 2020.
Officials reports 97 new cases, bringing the total number of cases to 1,662.
There are currently 75 active cases, a 15 case increase.
The health center has reported 1,566 recoveries.
COVID cancels Missouri House of Representative session next week
Missouri state house of representative leaders have canceled next week's session due to the coronavirus.
House leaders issued the following statement:
Due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the building, we are exercising an abundance of caution to protect members, staff, and visitors by canceling session next week. Our goal is to return to work the following week.
Boone County reports third COVID-19 death this week, 96 new cases
Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services is reporting one new coronavirus related death.
This is the 64th COVID-19 related death since March 18. The individual was in the 55-59 age group. This is the third COVID-19 related death this week and the sixth death this year.
The health department is reporting 96 new COVID-19 cases for Thursday, a decrease of six from Wednesday.
The dashboard is currently reporting 756 active cases, 16 more than Thursday.
The county now has a reported total number of COVID-19 cases of 15,300.
The county has reported the total number of cases removed from isolation is 14,480, an increase of 79 from Wednesday.
Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services dashboard has reported the latest five-day average as 86.
The dashboard is reporting the positivity rate of 35.2% for Jan. 1 through last Thursday.
The health department is reporting the total number of hospitalizations in Boone County is 108.
The number of Boone County residents hospitalized is reported to be 35.
The dashboard is reporting 24 COVID-19 patients in the ICU and 12 patients on ventilators.
The hospital status is still currently in the 'yellow' zone.
Boone County health director extends coronavirus order
The director of the Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services has extended the city and county's coronavirus health orders.
The orders had been set to expire Tuesday, which is the first day of classes at the University of Missouri and the first day this year of in-person classes at Columbia Public Schools. The order is now set to expire Feb. 16.
The orders require county and city residents to wear masks any time social distancing isn't possible. They also require restaurants that serve alcohol and bars to close at 10:30 p.m. The order also limits the size of groups at restaurants and capacity at public gatherings.
The health department said in a news release about the orders' extension that new coronavirus cases remain steady but high in Boone County, with a rate of about 100 new cases per day. The department says the number of cases continues to strain hospital resources.
"Extending the current orders will preserve the resources and capacities of these hospital systems," the department said.
The department reminded county residents that the state remains in the first phase of its coronavirus vaccine rollout and it's uncertain when the vaccine will make its way to the general public.
"The vaccine rollout will take some time, so it’s important that we all continue avoiding large gatherings, wearing masks, washing our hands, and limiting contact with people we don’t live with," health director Stephanie Browning said in the release.
Boone County health officials have confirmed about 15,200 cases of coronavirus since the pandemic began. More than 700 of those cases are active, according to the department's online COVID-19 dashboard.
Coronavirus hospitalizations and ICU admissions remain high as Missouri reports 2,700 new COVID-19 cases
Statewide coronavirus-related hospitalizations and ICU admissions remain high as health officials report thousands of new COVID-19 cases every day.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services coronavirus dashboard said 2,614 were in hospital beds because of COVID-19. It included 588 were in ICUs for the same reason.
Recently, the numbers of hospitalizations and ICU stays have fluctuated slightly up and down but have stayed at high levels since mid-November.
Hospital officials said Missouri has 23% of inpatient hospital bed space remaining and 22% of its ICU bed space remaining as of Thursday.
State health officials reported 2,780 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday bringing the pandemic total up to 431,957. It's the highest daily case increase this week.
The health department also reported 30 more virus-related deaths. The pandemic total was up to 6,201.
According to the dashboard, Missouri's seven-day COVID-19 positivity rate was down slightly to 16.3%.
Missouri was ranked 21st in the country for new coronavirus cases over the last week -- 16,982. The state also ranked 17th in the US for new virus-related deaths over the same time period -- 57.
