THURSDAY UPDATES: Three counties report 20+ recoveries in daily reporting
Three counties report over 20 plus recoveries in their daily coronavirus udpates.
In Miller County, the county health department reported 35 new recoveries. However there was an uptick in hospitalizations from nine to 20. Active cases also dropped by 23 from 82 to 59.
In Morgan County, the health department reported one new death along with 27 new recoveries (214 to 241). The county also reported a drop of 24 active cases (98 to 74).
In Osage County, the local health department reported 20 recoveries bringing the total from 97 to 117. They reported 22 new cases going from 123 total to 145.
Missouri releases revised guidance to reunite with family in long-term care facilities
UPDATE 9:25 P.M.: The state of Missouri has recently revised guidance for long-term care facilities that choose to establish an Essential Caregiver program and/or resume general visits either inside or outside the facility.
Facilities should have a policy in place to determine how contact with loved ones can occur while protecting the health of residents. Each facility will ultimately make the decision as to whether or not to adopt this guidance.
“COVID-19 has had a major impact on our most vulnerable citizens and their families,” Governor Mike Parson said. “We have worked hard to strengthen our prevention and mitigation strategies in long-term care facilities, and we understand the importance of spending time in-person with families and caregivers. These visits serve as an important part of residents’ overall well-being.”
The new guidance will supplement the state’s guidance issued for facilities in June. In accordance with newly revised federal guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, facilities must allow visits by outside health care providers and the Ombudsman program. Infection control, screening guidelines, and proper PPE use must be in place.
Facilities that have not had any cases of COVID-19 among staff or residents, or those that have not had a facility-acquired case in the past 14 days, are able to allow general indoor visits for residents who do not or are not suspected to have COVID-19 (or who have been released from isolation).
Outdoor visits may occur in any facility for residents who do not or are not suspected to have COVID-19 (or who have been released from isolation). The guidelines dictate that five visitors may be designated for each resident, with two allowed to be present at a given time by appointment and with social distancing being practiced. Proper hand hygiene and face coverings should be used.
With all types of visits, screening of individuals should be in place along with proper PPE use and infection control measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission among facility residents.
Boone County reports 65 new cases, 1 death
UPDATE 4:55 P.M.: Boone County added 65 new COVID-19 cases to its total and one new death associated with the disease Thursday.
The Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services reported Thursday that the county has recorded 4,488 cases since the pandemic started in March. The death of a person in their 80s, reported by the department initially Thursday morning, makes the county's ninth fatal case.
The number of active cases in the county increased by 15 to reach 367. Another 1,339 people were in quarantine because of contact with the novel coronavirus, an increase of 55.
The county continues to see a smaller share of new daily cases coming from people in the 18-22 age bracket. The University of Missouri reported Thursday that the number of active cases in students who live in Boone County has dropped below 100, settling at 95.
Hospitalizations in Boone County remained high Thursday, growing four to reach 55. The record is 61.
The five-day average of new cases in Boone County was at 49.
Boone County has now gone 18 days without new cases reaching 100 after exceeding that level for four of the first five days of September. The slower case growth has helped a case rate tracked by Columbia Public Schools fall below the online-only threshold.
Cases per 10,000 in the district over the last 14 days fell to 49, one point below the level that triggers discussion of online-only classes. Students have been learning online since the school year began Sept. 8.
However, the Columbia Board of Education on Thursday morning talked about a plan to start bringing the youngest students back into classrooms first. The board's next meeting is in October.
Callaway County Court Moving to Phase 1 after court employee tests positive for COVID-19
UPDATE 4:32 P.M.: Callaway County Court is reporting that due to a positive COVID test of a court employee, the court is moving back to Phase 1.
A change to Phase 1 will mean limiting the number of people who can be in a courtroom at a time and/or moving cases to a later date.
According to Court Administrator Mary Epping in-person cases set Friday and the next two weeks may now only be by video or postponed to a later date.
The court did contact tracing and notified anyone that could have been in close contact with COVID-19 infected person.
Officials at the court say all areas in which the individual worked have been deep cleaned.
It should be noted this change in phases is limited to the court, the courthouse as a whole will continue to function as normal.
If individuals come to the court and their case is to be by video or has been continued, they will be given guidance on what to do.
Missouri adds 1,300+ COVID-19 cases, positivity rate increases
UPDATE 2:24 P.M.: Missouri added more than 1,300 COVID-19 cases on Thursday. The state's coronavirus positivity rate increased as well.
A tweet from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said statewide COVID-19 cases topped out at 118,311 with Thursday's increase of 1,365.
Missouri COVID-19 deaths increased by 5 bringing the state's total to 1,952. The increase was way down from Wednesday after the Show-Me State added 83 virus-related deaths.
The state's COVID-19 positivity rate went up to 11.7% up three-tenths over the last 24 hours.
According to the health department's COVID-19 dashboard, coronavirus hospitalizations hit 1,056 on Monday, the most recent data available. It's the second-highest level of virus-related hospitalizations since the pandemic started.
About 70 Hallsville students could be quarantined because of coronavirus contact
UPDATE 12:55 P.M.: About 70 Hallsville School District students could be quarantined after three COVID-19 cases were identified.
The district said in a news release Thursday that a high school student tested positive for coronavirus Monday and another on Wednesday. The school was notified of a positive test of a middle school student Tuesday, the release said.
School staff members are working with the county health department to identify close contacts.
"Contact tracing with these three individual positive cases have the potential to quarantine about 70 of our students and a few of our staff," the district said in the release.
Centralia cancels Homecoming dance because of COVID-19, moves football game
UPDATE 11:45 A.M.: Centralia Public Schools said Thursday that many of its Homecoming activities are canceled and the football team will play its game on the road.
The district said in a news release that the student dance, bonfire, pep assembly and other events associated with the Oct. 9 Homecoming won't take place this year because of COVID-19 restrictions.
Spirit Days are still scheduled though.
The school said it moved the football game to South Shelby because of attendance restrictions under Boone County's COVID-19 order. The Centralia band will perform and a Homecoming royalty ceremony will be held on the South Shelby football field.
The move "will allow unlimited attendance for Centralia fans and families of players, band members and coronation participants," Centralia Public Schools said in the release.
Under Boone County's current health order, spectators at sporting events are limited to 50% of the venue's capacity or 100 people, whichever is less.
Boone County health department confirms 9th COVID-19 death
ORIGINAL: The Columbia/Boone County health department confirmed Thursday morning a ninth county resident has died from COVID-19.
A tweet from the health department said the resident was over 80 years old and that no other information would be released.
Thursday's announcement marks the second coronavirus-related death in Boone County in less than a week.
Multiple Mid-Missouri counties have confirmed COVID-19 deaths this week including Morgan, Pettis, Randolph and Miller counties.
