FRIDAY UPDATES: Boone County closes work week with new COVID-19 cases
UPDATE 4:55 P.M.: Boone County reported three new cases of COVID-19 on Friday afternoon, but active cases dropped by the same number.
The three new cases bring the county's total to 207 since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Health officials reported 38 active cases Friday, down from 41 Thursday.
The county has reported 57 new cases since the beginning of the month after little growth in cases for parts of April and May. One Boone County resident was hospitalized as of Friday and 47 people were in quarantine because they had contact with a known case.
The pandemic continues to affect Boone County's black residents, who make up 8.8 percent of the population, at a disproportionately high rate. Officials say 30 percent of the county's cases are in black residents.
Another local county where cases have grown rapidly in recent weeks -- Audrain -- reported no new cases Friday. The county's total cases stood at 122 but active cases dropped from 31 to 18.
Moniteau County, which experienced a surge in cases starting in April, reported Friday that it only has one remaining active case.
Pettis County reported two new cases Friday to bring its total to 86. The county has nine active cases.
UPDATE 2:55 P.M.: The University of Missouri reported 515 more furloughs this Friday compared to last.
MU publishes budget actions meant to offset lower revenue associated with the COVID-19 pandemic on a website each Friday. The report this week included seven more layoffs compared to last week, 515 more furloughs and 232 new pay cuts.
The numbers include MU and MU Health Care.
The university also reported several cuts that will save about $3 million in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. The college's Food for the 21st Century program will be phased out, the college's space will be reduced and its employees will take up to 10 percent pay cuts over three months.
Those in the college who took cuts took them voluntarily. Not every employee of the college took a pay cut.
Administrators are included in the pay cuts.
MU says layoffs have saved $4.64 million, furloughs have saved $3.49 million and pay cuts have saved $4.79 million. MU will not renew 33 contracts to save $1.02 million.
MU officials have asked supervisors to cut 12.5 percent of their budgets.
UPDATE 2:15 P.M.: The number of new COVID-19 cases in Missouri fell under the 200 mark on Friday after being above that level for two straight days.
Meanwhile, a Mid-Missouri county reported another death.
Cases increased by 198 statewide to reach 15,585. Deaths increased by 12 to 872.
The number of new daily cases has gone over 200 four times so far in June.
The Saline County Health Department in Marshall reported the county's fourth death from COVID-19 on Thursday. The county of about 23,000 people has seen more deaths from the virus than any other Mid-Missouri county.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reports cases have increased 6 percent over the last seven days. About 265,000 tests for live coronavirus have been reported to the state, with positive results in 5.8 percent of those cases, the department reported.
The growth in statewide cases is accompanied by a growth in some Mid-Missouri counties, including Boone. The state reported 52 new cases in Boone County over the last two weeks. The county saw little growth in cases from late April until mid-May.
St. Louis County continues to lead in overall cases with more than 5,200.
The Missouri Hospital Association reported 592 COVID-19 patients hospitalized as of Thursday, the last day for which numbers were available. The number increased by 52 cases compared to Thursday. The number is well below the state's peak hospitalizations of nearly 1,000 in early May.
Gov. Mike Parson said Thursday that the state's progress means he will let COVID-19 health orders expire Tuesday, meaning no restrictions on businesses or gatherings will remain statewide. Local restrictions will be allowed to remain in place where they exist, such as Boone County.
ORIGINAL: Health officials have confirmed a second case of COVID-19 linked to Memorial Day weekend parties at Lake of the Ozarks.
A Johnson County health official told the county board of commissioners the infected person went to the same bar as a Boone County resident who also tested positive for the virus.
The gatherings gained national attention after social media video showed large crowds without masks and not adhering to social distancing.
Health officials have urged anyone who went to the parties to self-quarantine for 14 days.
