FRIDAY UPDATES: MU reports several more layoffs, furloughs
UPDATE 9:25 P.M.: The University of Missouri reported five new layoffs, ten new furloughs and four new pay cuts Friday as part of its cost-saving efforts in the face of declining revenue.
MU posts updates on its budget actions to save money amid the COVID-19 pandemic on a website each Friday. The numbers are current as of the previous Wednesday.
MU reported 181 layoffs to save $7.51 million at its last update. On Friday those numbers had grown to 186 and $7.81 million. Pay cuts went from 2,346 to 2,350, with a total savings of $5.58 million.
Furloughs went from 3,634 to 3,644, according to the website.
UPDATE 6:31 P.M.: Three Mid-Missouri counties warned residents about possible exposure to COVID-19 recently.
County health departments in Randolph County, Phelps County and Moniteau County each put out statements on Friday.
Randolph County health officials said anyone who visited Woodsmen Distilling in Higbee on Saturday, July 25 between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. should monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms.
According to the release on the health department's website, contact tracing led department workers to the distillery.
The Phelps-Maries County Health Department made a similar post on Facebook alerting people to possible exposure to COVID-19 from the Belle Fair.
It said any fair-goers near the rode rides between 7 p.m. and when the fair closed on July 23 and 24th should monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms, social distance and wear a mask in public.
The post included anyone who attended the Belle Dance Team event on Saturday night should follow the same directions.
The Moniteau County Health Center said an individual who recently tested positive for COVID-19 also attended two summer activities at Tipton R-IV.
All staff members at the school were notified about the potential exposure, according to the post.
"If you believe you may be developing symptoms, please isolate yourself from others and contact your healthcare provider to seek advice for testing," the health center said.
UPDATE 4:30 P.M.: Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Senior Services tweeted Friday afternoon positive COVID-19 cases topped out at 1,178, up 28 over the last 24 hours.
Friday's increase was the third in a row of 28 new cases.
Boone County active coronavirus cases haven't changed in a day, according to the tweet. Recovered COVID-19 cases went up to 983, 27 more than on Thursday.
As of Friday, three Boone County residents were hospitalized for COVID-19. Hospitalizations did not change over the last 24 hours.
UPDATE 3:39 P.M.: On Friday, Missouri COVID-19 cases increased to 50,323, up 1,489 from Thursday.
A tweet from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said the state's COVID-19 positivity rate increased to 9.7%, up from 9.6% on Thursday.
The 24-hour increase was 595 less than Thursday's record increase and 78 less than the average increase over the last week.
It's the first time since Tuesday the state did not set a new increase record.
Coronavirus-related deaths increased by 10, bringing the total to 1,243.
Throughout the week, the health department had tweeted an increase in testing and positive cases resulted in a backlog of cases. Dr. Randall Williams, the health department director, said in a news conference on Monday the backlog would be zero by Friday.
The health department did not have an accompanying response about the backlog attached to Friday's tweet.
According to the department's COVID-19 website, St. Louis City was at the bottom of the state's list for the top 10 municipalities with the highest percent increase in cases.
Health officials confirmed at least 4,416 coronavirus cases on Friday, up 42% over the past seven days. The website said 3,107 had tested positive for COVID-19 last week.
UPDATE 11:53 A.M.: The Boone County health department tweeted Friday morning a fourth county resident has died from COVID-19.
The tweet sent out at 11:37 a.m. said the person was older than 80.
It included more information would be added to the health department's COVID-19 informational hub around 4 p.m.
The death marks the second for July, the first happened on July 14.
The most recent health department data came out Thursday and said 28 people in the 80+ age range had tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic started.
The data included three Boone County residents were currently hospitalized for COVID-19 and that seven total were in Boone County ICUs.
MU Health Care closing Mizzou softball stadium COVID-19 testing site
ORIGINAL: University of Missouri Health Care spokeswoman Jesslyn Chew said in an email Friday morning that a drive-thru COVID-19 testing site at the Mizzou softball stadium is closing after the weekend.
According to the release, all COVID-19 testing will move to the site at the Mizzou North building located at 115 Business Loop 70 starting Monday.
The testing site at the softball stadium parking lot opened on March 18 and the Business Loop location opened July 13.
Chew said the Mizzou North site opened to relieve pressure on the other testing facility. She said in her email that since opening on the 13th, testing at both locations has leveled.
People can get tested at Business Loop location from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. throughout the week and 8 a.m. - noon on Saturdays.
