Coronavirus cases in Cole County on the rise as vaccine site set to close

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Coronavirus cases are rising fast in Cole County.

The county is not alone -- it's among many in Mid-Missouri and across the state seeing a summer surge in cases as vaccination rates lag and the more contagious delta variant of the coronavirus becomes dominant.

The Cole County Health Department's website reported 52 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, increasing the County's total to 8,344 cases outside of nursing homes.

The county reported 47 new cases on Tuesday and 96 over three days last week. The virus has killed 126 Cole County residents -- 56 of them in nursing homes.

Watch a news conference on the coronavirus situation with Cole County officials in the player below.

The Missouri Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday reported 180 new cases in Cole County over the past seven days -- nearly double that of the previous week.

Numbers from the county health department show rapid growth in new cases that began last month and has doubled so far this month. The county recorded 88 cases in May. But in June that number jumped to 207. Through the first 14 days of July, it was 205. Of this month's total, 41 are in people fully vaccinated against the virus.

The surge is happening as the Cole County Health Department says it will close down the community vaccination site at the Capitol Mall on Thursday.

The vaccine site will offer both Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson vaccines on Thursday. Registration can be filled out online however the site will also accept walk-ins from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.

The county reports 42.1% of residents have initiated the vaccination process, with 37.9% completing vaccination.

Cole County says 59,299 doses have been administered, with the 7-day average at 722 vaccinations per day.

Tune in at 5 and 6 on ABC 17 News for more.