TUESDAY UPDATES: Eight new COVID-19 cases reported in Boone County
COVID-19 case numbers might differ among state and local health authorities because of issues with reporting and address verification.
UPDATE 4:40 P.M.: Boone County has reported eight more COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours -- the biggest one-day total since June 6.
The county, which has seen marked growth in COVID-19 cases over the past few weeks, reported 224 cases Tuesday, up from 216 on Monday. The number of active cases increased by five to reach 39.
Cases have grown quickly in the county since late April and early May, when local leaders were praising the slow growth in cases and their quick action to institute health orders.
Boone County remains under a health order and public health leadership has said restrictions will likely stay in place through late August.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services' COVID-19 dashboard says Boone County has added 53 cases over the past two weeks. The data is delayed 72 hours.
The county stood at 100 cases on May 15.
One Boone County resident was hospitalized Tuesday and another 47 were in isolation because of exposure to a known COVID-19 case.
Callaway County has seen a sudden increase in cases over the last few days, going from 33 on Thursday to 38 as of Tuesday morning.
Meanwhile, former hot spot Moniteau County reported Tuesday that it has no more active COVID-19 cases.
Another former hot spot, Audrain County, has not reported a new case since Wednesday and is down to seven active cases.
UPDATE 4:05 P.M.: The City of Fulton said Tuesday it is testing more of its employees for COVID-19 after a city worker tested positive.
Director of Administration Bill Johnson said he believes it was the first Fulton worker to test positive. Johnson did not provide details about which city department the employee worked for or when the employee tested positive.
Johnson did not say how many city workers will now be tested.
UPDATE 2:20 P.M.: The state topped 200 new daily COVID-19 cases for the second day in a row Tuesday.
Missouri's cases increased by 228 to reach 16,417, according to figures reported Tuesday by the Department of Health and Senior Services. Cases increased by 206 Monday to break the 16,000 mark.
Tuesday's increase was the seventh of more than 200 since the month began.
The state's overall number of deaths continues to grow slowly, with two more deaths reported Tuesday to bring the total to 882. Deaths increased by one Monday after staying steady Saturday and Sunday.
Some Mid-Missouri counties continue to see increases in cases. Boone County has gained 116 cases since May 15 to reach 216. The state counts 53 new cases here over the past two weeks.
Callaway County health authorities on Tuesday said cases reached 38, which is five more than the total reported Thursday.
Audrain County, which saw fast growth in cases last month, has not reported a new case since Wednesday and is down to seven active cases, health authorities there report.
According to state numbers, Miller County has seen the eighth-fastest percentage growth in cases over the past week, starting that period with four cases and now reporting six cases.
The state reports nearly 280,000 people have been tested for live coronavirus with about 5.9 percent testing positive.
The Missouri Hospital Association reported 612 Missourians hospitalized as of Monday. The state's early-May peak was near 1,000. Tuesday numbers were not available.
UPDATE 11:50 A.M.: The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services on Tuesday clarified its guidelines for nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
The department issued the guidance Monday, just hours ahead of the expiration of a statewide COVID-19 health order. In a news release the state said the guidelines will help nursing homes and other facilities craft their own procedures for allowing visits and communal activities.
The department said in a follow-up release Tuesday that the reopening of nursing homes to the public will be phased in.
"Long-term care facilities will not be fully reopened today, on June 16," the department said in a news release. "Since the underlying health conditions of residents in these facilities make them more vulnerable to COVID-19, the full reopening of all facilities will occur gradually and in phases."
The approach to reopen each facility to the public will be based on several factors including the prevalence of COVID-19 in the community, the department said.
However, the state is allowing such facilities to create plans for outdoor visits by the public using social distancing guidelines, according to the release.
UPDATE 8:30 A.M.: Boone Hospital Center said in a news release Tuesday morning it's allowing all patients to have visitors.
The hospital implemented a no visitor policy in March to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the release said.
According to the release, all patients will be allowed at least one visitor per day. Hospital officials said patients in the nursery, NICU, as well as those in end of life care and others may have up to two visitors per day.
The release said all visitors must undergo a coronavirus screening, social distance themselves from others and wear face masks while inside the hospital.
ORIGINAL: The statewide COVID-19 health order lifted Tuesday and was not replaced under phase two of the state reopening plan.
Governor Mike Parson made the announcement during his regular COVID-19 briefing on June 11. He said the state needs to balance the health of residents with the progress made in slowing down the virus and the need to stimulate the economy.
The reopening plan allows local governments to put health restrictions in place if the specific communities need it.
While the statewide order lifted, Gov. Parson added that the virus is still around and Missourians need to continue practicing social distancing.
