MONDAY UPDATES: New COVID-19 order for 13th judicial circuit court starts Tuesday
COVID-19 case numbers might differ among state and local health authorities because of issues with reporting and address verification.
UPDATE 8:45 P.M.: The 13th Circuit will be operating under a new order starting Tuesday at 8 a.m.
Under the order, the court will resume in-person court proceedings that can be done while maintaining social distancing and occupancy limitations. It said jury trials can resume at the discretion of each division.
Common areas like courtrooms, jury assembly rooms and break rooms can operate under social distancing protocols.
The order also tells the court to provide masks to the public. It also encourages court staff to use video or teleconferencing when possible in order to limit in-person court appearances.
People who appear sick may be asked to leave the courthouse. Signs have also been posted asking people who are exposed or showing symptoms of COVID-19 to not enter the building.
The court plans to continue increased cleaning and to provide hand
sanitizers throughout the courthouse and offices.
UPDATE 5:15 P.M.: Boone County saw its smallest increase in COVID-19 cases in a week Monday, while the state dropped to 140 new cases after two straight record-setting days.
Boone County reported 277 cases Monday, up from 273 on Sunday. The number of active cases stayed at 70 as the new cases were offset by recoveries. Active cases went up by 11 over the weekend, but only one Boone County resident is currently hospitalized with COVID-19.
Boone County has seen a large increase in cases in recent weeks, including an 18-case jump on Thursday -- the largest single-day increase since the pandemic began.
Health officials told ABC 17 News on Monday that many of those new cases are in people under 30 years old. Older people are more at risk for the worst effects of COVID-19.
Statewide, only 27 of the state's 961 deaths are in people under 50 years old.
Missouri's overall cases went up by 140 on Monday to reach 18,143 while deaths increased by five. The overall case increase comes after two straight days of record-setting jumps in statewide cases, including 413 new cases on Sunday.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said Monday that many of those cases were from an outbreak happening in southwest Missouri.
More than half of the new weekend cases came from McDonald County, with 235, The Associated Press reported. McDonald County Health Department Director Paige Behm says the big increase is due in part to testing at two poultry plants.
But Behm says the cases extend beyond workers at the plants.
Statewide cases have increased by 8.2 percent over the past week, the state health department reported Monday. More than 317,000 Missourians have been tested for live coronavirus with 5.6 percent of those testing positive.
Several Mid-Missouri counties reported new cases Monday, including Audrain, Pettis and Howard.
UPDATE 2:26 P.M.: Cole County health officials said Monday a second person in the county has died from COVID-19.
The health department said in a news release the death was confirmed at 12:40 p.m.
Health officials said the county resident had several underlying health officials. The health department didn't release any additional information about the person.
According to health department data, the county confirmed its first COVID-19 death on April 3.
The website included there are 61 COVID-19 cases and four active cases as of Monday.
At least three others in Mid-Missouri have died from coronavirus over the past month. The deaths include one in Boone County and two in Saline County.
UPDATE 10:41 A.M.: The Missouri Department of Corrections said three state prisons will allow visitors inside the facilities on Wednesday.
A release from the department said Algoa Correctional Center in Jefferson City is among the prisons allowing visitors.
The state department said prisons that have no active COVID-19 cases and have also completed mass coronavirus testing will allow visitors.
All visitors must schedule an appointment, the release said. It included inmates are allowed two visitors and capacity in visiting rooms was reduced.
Corrections officials said visitors must pass a COVID-19 screening before entering a facility. Visiting hours will be held Thursday through Sunday.
The department website there are nine state prisons that have no reported coronavirus cases which are not allowing visitors yet.
According to the corrections website, 72 inmates and 42 prison workers have tested positive for coronavirus during the COVID-19 pandemic. The website said 29 inmates and nine prison workers have recovered.
The state department said at least one inmate has died from COVID-19.
ORIGINAL: Boone County is set to relax more COVID-19 restrictions starting Tuesday.
The Columbia/Boone County health director outlined the new health order on June 18. It eliminates most occupancy limits for businesses and allows entertainment and other large venues to reopen.
It comes one week after Gov. Mike Parson's statewide health order expired and was not replaced.
The new Boone County order will take effect at 12 a.m. Tuesday and last through July 20.
