Missouri leaders say COVID-19 pandemic improving but urge caution over holiday weekend
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
Missouri's governor and top health official each sought to ease concerns about fast-rising COVID-19 cases in the state Thursday while also striking a tone of caution and responsibility ahead of the Fourth of July weekend.
Gov. Mike Parson and Dr. Randall Williams, head of the state Department of Health and Senior Services, said at Parson's COVID-19 briefing in the Capitol that the increase in numbers that has set new records is primarily from regional outbreaks.
Watch a replay of the briefing below.
Parson said 60 percent of the new cases this week came from Jasper and McDonald counties in southwest Missouri, Jackson County in Kansas City and St. Louis city and county.
Parson said the case growth rate is now decreasing in most areas of the state, including southwest Missouri.
"According to the most recent hospitalization model update, effective transmission rates have dropped or are stable in all regions except Kansas City," Parson said. "We are still way under hospital capacity."
New daily cases set a record last week at 553 and rolling averages have hit their highest level since the start of the pandemic. State officials have said increased testing is also contributing to the fast rise.
The state added 356 new cases Thursday.
Meanwhile, other states are also setting records and the United States has surpassed 50,000 new daily cases for the first time.
Williams said Thursday that the rate of positive cases in Missouri is falling and the rolling average is now between 4 percent and 4.5 percent.
"We are comfortable with where we are at and we continue to safely move forward with our recovery efforts," he said.
Williams and Parson each urged residents to practice social distancing and responsible behavior over the holiday weekend. They said Missourians should wear masks if they cannot maintain social distance.
Parson urged people to avoid large crowds.
Williams said the state dreads seeing another situation like Memorial Day at Lake of the Ozarks, when Missouri made national headlines for scenes of revelers packed in at lakefront bars.
"We don’t want to lose ground – we’ve worked so hard to get where we are," Williams said.
Federal funding to expand broadband
Rob Dixon, director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development, touted $50 million in grant funding from the federal CARES Act to expand broadband around the state.
The money will be split among health care providers, local libraries, schools and broadband providers. Of the total, $20 million will provide grants to broadband providers to expand service to areas with slow internet.
Dixon said more than $5 million will be used to expand telehealth to areas where it isn't yet available and another $2.5 million will help libraries set up hot spots in their communities and purchase WiFi devices.
Parson visited Tipton earlier Thursday to sign bills expanding a state broadband grant program through 2027 and protecting drinking water in Missouri schools.
