FRIDAY UPDATES: Boone County COVID-19 hospitalizations hit high; fewer than 50 new cases reported
UPDATE 4:55 P.M.: Boone County's hospitals reported a record number of patients with COVID-19 on Friday while fewer than 50 new COVID-19 cases were reported.
The Columbia/Boone County Health Department reported 63 patients hospitalized on its COVID-19 online dashboard. That breaks the old record of 61 patients.
New COVID-19 cases Friday came in at 41.
The total number of cases since the pandemic began now sits at 4.529. The number of active cases dropped 32 to settle at 335. The number of people in quarantine because they've been exposed to novel coronavirus grew by 19 and now stands at 1,356.
New case rates have fallen from their early September peaks, with Friday marking the 19th straight with fewer than 100 cases. However, hospitalizations have remained high over the past few weeks and Mid-Missouri counties have reported dozens of death.
Of the 63 hospitalizations reported Friday, 26 are in intensive care and 15 are on ventilators.
The most recent death reported was Boone County's ninth, reported Thursday.
The county health department often releases the positivity rate -- a measure of the percentage of people tested for coronavirus who get a positive result -- for the previous week on Fridays. However, a delay in a lab reporting negative test results means no rate was reported Friday, according to the department.
The slowdown in new cases seen in Boone County has pushed lower a rate tracked by Columbia Public Schools below the threshold for online-only learning. The school board meets next month to discuss when students can start returning to classrooms.
University of Missouri hands down discipline to 20 students for COVID-19 violations
UPDATE 3:45 P.M.: The University of Missouri said Friday that it has punished 20 more students for violating COVID-19-related policies.
The actions taken against these students make the second round of discipline MU officials have announced. Earlier this month MU leaders said two students had been expelled and three more suspended for violating COVID-19 rules such as wearing masks and maintaining social distancing.
MU has not given details of what led to the disciplinary actions or whether the students had COVID-19, citing federal student privacy laws.
Five students have been suspended through May and 14 students have been put on probation for two consecutive semesters. In the other case, a former student will not be able to enroll until the student conduct process plays out.
The students on probation will be suspended through May if they violate any regulations.
Any student disciplined by the university can appeal.
More than 1,500 MU students living in Boone County have tested positive for novel coronavirus since Aug. 19, the university reported on a webpage where it posts COVID-19 numbers. Active cases have fallen to 95.
In a news release announcing the discipline actions, MU said active cases have dropped 86% since Sept. 5.
Missouri adds nearly 2,000 new COVID-19 cases, virus hospitalizations highest since pandemic started
UPDATE 2:45 P.M.: Missouri health officials said new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours hit the second-highest increase since the pandemic started.
According to new health data, coronavirus hospitalizations hit a record high on Friday.
A tweet from the Department of Health and Senior Services said statewide COVID-19 cases went up to 120,298 with Friday's addition of 1,987. The swell in cases was the highest in weeks tying an increase on Sept. 5.
Officials said virus-related deaths increased to 1,994 up 42 since Thursday.
The health department's COVID-19 dashboard said coronavirus hospitalizations hit a new record at 1,068 on Tuesday, the last day data was available.
Hospitalizations were up four from the previous record set on Sept. 17.
Missouri Hospital Association data for the week of Sept. 15 to Sept. 22 said 36-percent of Mid-Missouri hospital beds were available. A little more than 500 beds, out of 1,739 available, were still open as of Tuesday.
According to hospital association data, 844 of the hospitalizations were for people with confirmed cases of COVID-19. The remaining 212 accounted for suspected COVID-19 cases.
The rolling 7-day average for COVID-19 hospitalizations in Missouri's central region was 82 on Tuesday.
The state's rolling positivity rate increased on Friday to 11.8%, up one-tenth from Thursday.
SEMA donating masks to Jefferson City and Columbia school districts
UPDATE 11:23 A.M.: Missouri's State Emergency Management Agency is donating 2.2 million masks to school districts, including two in Mid-Missouri.
Social media posts from the agency said Jefferson City School District and Columbia Public Schools are on the list to receive the masks.
CPS spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark said the district received masks from SEMA earlier this year. The spokeswoman included CPS has received masks from faith-based organizations.
CPS has served as a distribution point for area school districts to receive masks as well, Baumstark said.
A Friday morning tweet from SEMA said the agency handed out 1.8 million masks last month.
Versailles and Blair Oaks football game canceled because of COVID-19
Friday night's football game between Versailles and Blair Oaks high schools was canceled because of COVID-19 concerns.
A Facebook post on Versailles' page said the game will not be made up and that the schools will also forgo a JV game.
Including this week's announcement, Versailles has called off three football games this season because of COVID-19 concerns.
Blair Oaks rescheduled Friday's game and will play Valle Catholic High School in Ste. Genvieve. According to the Valle's website, kickoff is at 6 p.m.
