MONDAY UPDATES: Boone County reports new COVID-19 case
COVID-19 case numbers might differ among state and local health authorities because of issues with reporting and address verification.
UPDATE 5:25 P.M.: Columbia reported another new COVID-19 case Monday, the second day in a row with new cases after a long streak of little to no growth.
Boone County is up to 105 COVID-19 cases, the Columbia/Boone County Health Department reported on its website. The number was up one from Sunday, when the department reported four new cases. Sunday's increase was the biggest in Boone County since April 14.
Before Sunday's increase the county had not seen any new cases in nearly a week.
The department said nine of Boone County's cases are active.
A health department spokesman said two of the new cases are travel-related, two were acquired locally and one is unknown.
Cole County continued to report 54 cases Monday. That number has not changed in the past 10 days. There are no active cases in the county, the health department reported.
Callaway County's health department said Monday that it has only one active case. Cases there have not increased since May 1. They stand at 22.
Boone County releases pool opening details
The Columbia/Boone County Health Department released guidelines Monday for standards pools must meet to reopen.
Pools must have a written plan submitted with the department in order to reopen, under the county's current reopening rules. Those plans will have to follow these guidelines:
- Signs should be posted at the entrance of the pool to remind patrons not to enter when they are sick and maintain social distancing.
- Pools where there is no monitor or attendant will be allowed to open with a maximum of 10 people per pool.
- Social distancing must be maintained at all locations inside the pool area. This includes grills and picnic areas.
- If the size of a pool does not allow for social distancing requirements to be maintained at all times, the pool will not be allowed to open.
- Hot tubs and spray playgrounds are not allowed at this time.
- Remove pool furniture from the area or only keep out enough furniture for the maximum allowed capacity.
- Space out pool furniture to allow for social distancing.
- The lifeguard/monitors will be responsible for ensuring that social distancing is maintained.
- Clean and disinfect all frequently touched surfaces such as ladders, handrails, entrance gates, pool furniture, etc. If surfaces are dirty, they should be cleaned using a detergent or soap and water before disinfecting.
UPDATE 4:45 P.M.: A Columbia long-term care facility where a staff member tested positive for COVID-19 will test all its residents and workers this week.
The Neighborhoods by TigerPlace said Monday that it will work with University of Missouri Health Care to administer the tests Wednesday. The company said in a news release that the tests are precautionary and that no other workers or residents have tested positive.
The company learned May 9 that a staff member had tested positive.
Test results will be back in 48 hours and if anyone else tests positive, the company will implement its pandemic plan, according to the news release.
All residents were put on in-room quarantine after the employee tested positive. That quarantine was set to end this Tuesday but will be extended pending test results.
Columbia Public Schools to offer meals through end of July
Columbia Public Schools will continue offering grab-and-go meals for students through July 31.
Meals will not be delivered on May 25 or May 29, the district said in a letter to families. However, the meals will be doubled up on May 22 and May 28 to make up for the lack of deliveries.
Information about drop-off routes is available on the CPS website.
CPS had to cancel its regular June and July summer sessions because of COVID-19 restrictions.
Drive-thru diaper service set for Wednesday
Local nonprofit organization First Chance for Children will have a drive-thru Wednesday for needy families to get diapers for their children.
The event will go from noon to 6 p.m. at 1010 Fay St., Boone County Children's Services said in a news release. Families are asked to bring their own writing utensils to fill out paperwork and to stay in their vehicles.
Library to begin curbside pickup
The libraries under the Daniel Boone Regional Library system began curbside pickup of some materials Monday.
The libraries in Callaway County, Ashland and Columbia remain closed and their mobile library operations halted, but patrons can now request materials and pick them up curbside, according to a news release.
Patrons in northern Boone and southern Callaway counties can pick up materials from the Library-To-Go lockers in Holts Summit and Hallsville, the library network said.
Hours will vary. Details are available at the Daniel Boone Regional Library website.
UPDATE 2:04 P.M.: The state health department said statewide COVID-19 cases and deaths increased on Monday.
According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services website, positive novel coronavirus cases were at 10,945 and virus-related deaths were at 605. Cases increased by 156 and deaths increased by 11 since Sunday.
Over the past week, Missouri has added more than 1,000 novel coronavirus cases and 117 virus deaths.
The health department said the majority of COVID-19 deaths were reported in St. Louis County, with 336 confirmed. Workers said 100 more deaths were confirmed in St. Louis City.
According to state health data, the highest concentration of COVID-19 deaths was reported among people 80 years old and older. At least, 284 people in that age range have died from the virus.
UPDATE 12:10 P.M.: Central Methodist University in Fayette said Monday that it plans to have in-person classes this fall.
CMU President Roger Drake said in a news release that the university's board of trustees has authorized testing of all students and employees. Among the other changes will be social distancing in classrooms and more medical resources on campus, according to the release.
Drake said in the news release that CMU has a record number of enrollment applications for the fall.
CMU also plans to make more use of online classes, citing in the release an example of a student who tests positive for COVID-19 being able to continue classes remotely.
No decision has been made about fall athletics returning.
UPDATE 11 A.M.: The University of Missouri Board of Curators will hear an enrollment update from the UM System president on Tuesday.
The curators will hold a public meeting at 1 p.m. on the online conferencing site Zoom.
The agenda includes a fall semester planning and enrollment outlook from UM System president and Columbia campus interim chancellor Mun Choi. University leaders have been preparing for steep budget cuts and a drop in enrollment because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic but they're planning for in-person classes this fall.
An update on online learning is also on the agenda.
The agenda includes a financial update from UM system CFO Ryan Rapp. Financial experts at UM are planning for three scenarios, including an escalation of the pandemic which could blow a $500 million hole in the university system's budget.
Pandemic turns Memorial Day ceremony in Columbia into online experience
Continuing restrictions on gatherings in Boone County related to the COVID-19 pandemic mean this year's Memorial Day wreath-laying ceremony will be held virtually.
The event coordinators said Monday that the ceremony planned for 9 a.m. May 25 will be replaced with a pre-recorded video posted at that time. The video will be on the Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital Facebook page and a Facebook page operated by the Mid-Missouri Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America.
The pre-recorded ceremony will include music by local groups, a military gun salute and a keynote address.
ORIGINAL: Health officials in several Mid-Missouri counties say their counties have no active COVID-19 cases.
The Cole County Health Department website said on Sunday that there were no active cases. It included, 54 county residents have tested positive and one person has died from coronavirus.
Health departments in Howard County, Osage County, as well as Cooper County reported having no active novel coronavirus cases recently.
As of Monday, Callaway County health officials said there was a single active COVID-19 case. The Boone County health department reported having eight active cases after a spike in cases on Sunday.
The state added 333 COVID-19 cases over the weekend, according to data from the state health department.
