MONDAY UPDATES: Boone County health officials say COVID-19 cases identified at ‘popular establishments’
COVID-19 case numbers might differ among state and local health authorities because of issues with reporting and address verification.
UPDATE 5 P.M.: The Columbia/Boone County health department says 21 of the 28 new COVID-19 cases since May 26 are from contact with an already-infected person.
The department said in a news release Monday evening that five were from community transmission -- meaning they were picked up locally from an unknown source -- and two are still under investigation.
Since May 26, 61 percent of new cases were in people who were tested because they had contact with an infected person, the department said. Some of the new cases were in employees at "popular establishments," the release said.
"While some of the businesses associated with these cases have chosen to make the cases public, we as a health department have not," the department said. "This is done in order to protect the privacy of the patient, as well as their direct contacts."
The department says it will notify the public if a COVID-19 case cannot identify their contacts.
The department also urged protesters to take precautions against the spread of COVID-19.
UPDATE 3:35 P.M.: The number of COVID-19 cases in Boone County increased again Monday, making it the sixth straight day of new cases being reported.
The Columbia/Boone County health department reported one new case of COVID-19 on Monday, bringing the county's total since the pandemic began to 151. The number of cases has risen by 10 since Friday.
Thirty-two cases are currently active. The department reports on its information hub that 135 contacts of positive cases were in quarantine Monday.
The case growth continues a trend that has emerged over the past two weeks after the county went several weeks with little to no growth. A statewide stay-at-home order lifted May 4, and several public officials have said cases would go up as those orders lifted and more people were tested.
The coronavirus has affected the county's black population to disproportionate levels. The county says 26.5 percent of its cases so far as in black residents, who only make up 8.8 percent of the county population.
The state Department of Health and Senior Services reports three Mid-Missouri counties are in the top 10 for case growth rate over the past seven days: Boone County is fifth with a 23 percent increase; Audrain County is sixth with a 22.7 percent increase; and Callway County is seventh with a nearly 21 percent increase.
Boone County says one resident is currently hospitalized, though the county's hospitals are treating 16 people including patients from other counties.
UPDATE 2:06 P.M.: The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said the state added almost 200 new COVID-19 cases on Monday.
According to the state health department website, Coronavirus cases rose to 13,327, an increase of 180 from Sunday. The health department added three new virus-related deaths bringing the total to 775.
The health department website said cases increased by 1.4% over the past 24 hours and more than 6% over the past week.
The increases come the same day the health department increased testing efforts in Boone County. The community testing event is scheduled to continue on Tuesday.
UPDATE 10 A.M.: The U.S. Army said at least 70 soldiers and trainees at Fort Leonard Wood tested positive for COVID-19 after a weekend testing event.
According to the release, U.S. Military health officials and Fort Leonard Wood Army Hospital workers tested 500 soldiers and trainees assigned to the 1st Battalion and 48th Infantry Regiment over a two-day period. The release said about 70 individuals tested positive for coronavirus.
Army officials say people infected with the virus were contained to one training unit. The release said affected soldiers have been quarantined and isolated.
All buildings and Amry facilities linked to the outbreak are set to be sanitized, officials said.
The release said the 500 soldiers and trainees were tested for COVID-19 when they arrived to the basic training post recently. One Army trainee reported having virus-related symptoms four days after a coronavirus monitoring period ended, according to Army officials.
The release added all 500 Army personnel have since been re-tested.
Army officials at Fort Leonard Wood said a soldier tested positive for COVID-19 back in March.
ORIGINAL: The Cooper County Fairboard said in a news release Monday morning that board members voted to reopen the county fairgrounds after the county fair was canceled last month.
Cooper County's Emergency Management Agency director and fairboard member Larry Oerly said board members unanimously voted to reopen the fairgrounds for rentals and events on Thursday. Oerly said the fairboard has sought coronavirus-related guidelines from county officials.
The fairboard release said members voted to hold youth exhibits during the Cooper County Fair over July 21-25. It included board members looked at ways to limit the number of participants at each event, as well as, modifying activities and restructuring events.
It's unclear from the release if any other fair events will be held.
The Cooper County Youth Fair Facebook page said on May 8 that the fair had been canceled because of COVID-19 concerns.
According to the Cooper County Public Health Center Facebook page, eight people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the county. It's unclear how many of the confirmed cases are active as of Monday.
