MONDAY UPDATES: Boone County reports 31 new COVID-19 cases as MU classes begin
UPDATE 4:45 P.M.: Boone County's health department reported fewer than 50 new COVID-19 cases for the second day in a row Monday.
The Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services reported 31 new cases for a total of 1,995 since the pandemic began. The department also reported another death Monday -- a person 80 or older -- for the sixth since the start of the pandemic.
Active cases dropped by 14 to hit 385.
Another 809 Boone County residents were in quarantine because they were exposed to novel coronavirus.
The department reported 41 cases Sunday after four days straight with new cases higher than 50 each day. That streak included a record 81 on Friday.
The rolling five-day average of new daily cases fell Monday to 59 from 64.6. Its lowest point this month was 17.6 on Aug. 6.
Boone County's hospitals reported 38 patients with COVID-19 on Monday -- the highest number of the pandemic -- according to the health department's online COVID-19 dashboard. However, the hospitals reported no shortages of staff, equipment, supplies or beds.
University of Missouri reports 159 active COVID-19 cases
UPDATE 4:05 P.M.: The University of Missouri reported 159 active cases of COVID-19 among students on Monday.
MU unveiled a webpage where it posts the numbers of students with COVID-19 on Monday afternoon. The 159 students is equal to about 0.5 percent of the student body, the university said.
Some of those cases are from Phi Delta Theta, an MU fraternity that reported Monday it has several members who have tested positive. The fraternity did not give a number, however.
The university says 168 total student cases have been reported to local health authorities, which began providing those numbers to MU on Wednesday. However, only 159 cases are now active.
The case numbers are based on students tested both on campus and elsewhere.
None of the students have required hospitalization.
Local health officials have said much of the fast growth in cases over the past several days -- 119 new cases on Saturday and Sunday alone -- are in the college age range. Students moved back to campus last week and classes began Monday.
Students and faculty at MU are required to do regular symptom checks and report the results via an app called CampusClear.
Columbia Public Schools leaders say COVID-19 rates could change plan before Sept. 8
UPDATE 3:30 P.M.: Earlier this month, Columbia Public Schools leaders set Monday as the date to let parents know if classes would be all online, in-person each day or a mix of the two when the year starts Sept. 8.
But the decision has not been finalized as Boone County experiences a large jump in new COVID-19 cases.
CPS leaders said in an email Monday that, if classes began Monday, students would be in their school buildings twice a week. However, cases are growing rapidly and two weeks remain before the start of classes.
"The last five days have been alarming. The individual daily case rates alone would have been at levels that would put Columbia Public Schools in a completely virtual model," the district said in the email to parents.
The district is using the number of new cases per 10,000 people within its boundaries over 14 days to determine how classes will be conducted. A rate of fewer than 10 cases means classes in-person five days a week. A rate from 10 to 49 means two days a week. If the rate reaches 50, classes will be all-online.
Parents also have the option of having their students learn online only.
The rate shot up to 38.7 on Sunday after several days of soaring cases, including a new record of 81 on Friday. The number was 24.1 last Monday, according to a webpage where CPS posts updated rates.
The Columbia Missouri National Education Association, the union which represents CPS teachers, recommended last week that the online mark be lowered to 30 instead of 50.
Information about their students' in-person hybrid learning group is being sent to families this week.
Pettis County reports sixth COVID-19 death
UPDATE 3:15 P.M.: Pettis County reported its sixth COVID-19 death Monday.
The county health department updates its case totals daily through the work week on its Facebook page. However, deaths are updated once a week with a more detailed post each Monday.
This week the department reported six deaths, compared to five last Monday.
Pettis County recorded 16 new cases of COVID-19 over the weekend for a total of 705 but active cases dropped by nine to 124. Pettis has seen its own surge in cases recently -- the county reported 80 new cases in the last week.
Pettis County, with a population of about 42,000, is now tied with Boone County -- population about 180,000 -- in COVID-19 deaths. Pettis is in the top tier of counties for cases per 100,000 people at 1,747, according to the state's online COVID-19 dashboard.
The county's health board adopted a mask order, which drew an immediate legal challenge. The case continues.
Missouri reports fewer than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases
EDITOR'S NOTE: The number of new cases has been corrected after two digits were transposed.
UPDATE 2:56 P.M.: Missouri reported fewer than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases for the second straight day Monday.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reported 869 new cases Monday for a total of 75,944 since the pandemic started here in March. The state reported no deaths Monday and the total stands at 1,426.
The seven-day positivity rate -- a measure of the number of people tested for COVID-19 who get a positive result -- rose to 11.6 percent Monday. The rate has been on the rise since Thursday when it hit 10.8 percent.
Health experts have said rates higher than 10 percent are cause for concern.
The average age of Missouri's COVID-19 cases continues to decline as more young people test positive for the novel coronavirus. The average age was at 41 years old Monday. The age group with the most cases statewide was the 20-24 group with 8,790 cases, according to the state's online COVID-19 dashboard.
As the age has shifted, public health officials' concerns have focused more in their public comments on the ability of young people to spread the virus to those who are more vulnerable to COVID-19's worst effects.
About 920,000 Missourians have been tested for the novel coronavirus.
The state dashboard reports Miller County is seeing the ninth-fastest percentage growth in cases statewide, with a jump of 27 percent over seven days. Boone County remains in the top 10 jurisdictions for most total cases.
The state reported 863 people hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Friday, the most recent figure available. That number dropped from 957 hospitalized Thursday.
MU fraternity confirms multiple cases of COVID-19
UPDATE 12 P.M.: Multiple cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed at a University of Missouri fraternity, according to a statement from international fraternity leadership.
The news release from Phi Delta Theta said multiple members have tested positive for COVID-19 recently. It did not include how many cases of novel coronavirus had been confirmed.
The fraternity said it will work with the Columbia/Boone County health department to address the situation.
Masks have been provided for the fraternity members, the release said. Health information and signs have also been sent to the chapter.
It included officials have recommended members follow university and local health guidelines.
Randolph County Health warns of COVID-19 exposure at Eagles hall
UPDATE 11:10 A.M.: The Randolph County Health Department issued a warning Monday about a possible COVID-19 exposure last week at the Moberly Eagles hall.
The department said in a news release that a person who was positive for COVID-19 visited the Fraternal Order of the Eagles from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Tuesday. The department asks that anyone in the building at that time monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms through Sept. 1.
Randolph County reported 111 cases as of Friday, up 20 compared to last Monday. The department has yet to report weekend case numbers.
One Randolph County resident has died from COVID-19 complications and three were hospitalized as of Friday.
Boone County reports sixth COVID-19 death
UPDATE 10:45 A.M.: A sixth person in Boone County has died of COVID-19.
The Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services on Monday reported the death in a person in the age 80 or older group. The health department didn't release other information, in line with standard practice when public health agencies report COVID-19 deaths.
Some Mid-Missouri counties have reported more deaths than Boone -- Saline has reported nine deaths and Camden has reported eight.
The latest death comes as Boone County is experiencing a major surge in cases powered largely by new COVID-19 positives in the 20-24 age group. The surge has also coincided with thousands of college students coming to town for classes, which began Monday at the University of Missouri.
Boone County reported 119 new cases over the weekend after hitting a record for daily cases with 81 on Friday.
The spike has caused the county's five-day rolling average of new daily cases to shoot up to 64.6. That number was at 28.2 a week ago.
Boone County has now reported 1,964 cases since the pandemic began. Of those, 399 were active as of Sunday.
Jefferson City School District delays start of elementary virtual learning
The Jefferson City School District confirmed it pushed back the start of virtual learning by a week because of a staffing shortage with the online program.
The announcement sent out to parents over the weekend only effects elementary students. Online learning for those students now starts next Monday.
JC Schools spokeswoman Ryan Burns said in an email Monday morning the virtual learning platform the district is using, Launch, had a higher than expected enrollment for the 2020-2021 school year.
"Launch is actively working to assign elementary teachers to students, and
you will hear from your student’s homeroom teacher as soon as they are
assigned," Burns said.
She added the district apologized for the inconvenience and that the move was in the best interest of students.
The spokeswoman included Launch has several guides for parents and students on how to get started ahead of next week.
Virtual education for grades 6-12 began as planned, Burns said.
Students who opted to learn in-school returned to school Monday morning.
