MONDAY UPDATES: Governor Parson provides update on returning to work; 4 staffers test positive
UPDATE 8:00 P.M.: After testing positive for COVID-19 on September 23, Governor Mike Parson and First Lady Teresa Parson have both fully recovered and returned to their regular schedules.
“Teresa and I are so grateful that we are two of well over 100,000 Missourians that have recovered from this virus,” Governor Parson said. “We are glad to be back and want to again thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers. We are humbled every day to be surrounded by such great people across the state.”
Consistent with state policy and transparency of sharing statistics regarding COVID-19 and state employees, the Governor's Office is releasing the number of staffers who have tested positive for the virus.
Only four staffers have tested positive since the beginning of Missouri's fight with COVID-19. This includes Governor's Office staff, Governor's Mansion staff, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol Governor Security Division.
All staff meeting the definition of close contact were tested following the Governor and First Lady's positive test results. The four staffers who tested positive have fully recovered. The remainder of staff identified as close contacts tested negative and followed proper quarantine protocol consistent with CDC guidelines. The Governor's Office continued all normal businesses operations and duties during this time.
Boone County reports third-lowest new coronavirus cases in two weeks
UPDATE 7:50 P.M.: Columbia/Boone County Public Health & Human Services is reporting 22 new novel coronavirus cases.
There are 4,934 total cases in the county and 294 active cases.
The county is reporting two new cases in the 18-22 age group bringing the total to 2,297 case.
The county is reporting 68 people are hospitalized in Boone County. There are 22 of those patients currently in a Boone County ICU. 10 patients are on hospital ventilators.
Three counties report COVID-19 related deaths; school cases rising in two counties
UPDATE 5:50 P.M.: Pettis, Cole and Osage County are reporting one new death per county in their latest update on novel coronavirus.
According to the Pettis County update, the one new death leads to 21 total deaths in the county. The county update brings a total of 1,234 total cases with 213 active cases. There are currently 13 people hospitalized. 1,000 cases are reportedly recovered.
In Cole County, the new death bring the total to 15 total. This death was not reported to be in the long care term numbers. The county totals are now 1,716 total cases with 142 active cases. There are now 1,502 recovered cases in Cole County.
In Osage County, the second reported death has occured in the county.
According to Susan Long with the Osage County Health Department the person had been ill for several weeks prior to passing away. Long says currently the county has over 200 cases with over 60 of those still active. According to the release, the number of cases has doubled in the last month.
Osage County is also reporting seven positive reports of school children and staff in three different schools.
The Moberly Public School District is reporting three cases of COVID-19 in the district. One high school staff person and two South Park staffers tested positive for COVID-19. According to the release, one staff member and 45 students were identified as close contacts and quarantined accordingly.
Missouri Department of Corrections provides the latest COVID-19 update on Mid-Missouri facilities
UPDATE 4:43 P.M.: Missouri Department of Corrections is providing weekly updates to their response during the pandemic.
Their last update was on Oct. 2.
| Facility | staff active | staff recovered | staff cumulative | offender active | offender recovered | offender cumulative |
| Women's Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center | 11 | 13 | 24 | 163 | 154 | 317 |
| Moberly Correctional Center | 7 | 2 | 9 | 88 | 6 | 94 |
| Fulton Reception and Diagnostic Center | 8 | 9 | 17 | 21 | 39 | 60 |
| Jefferson City Correctional Center | 5 | 6 | 11 | 10 | 2 | 12 |
| Tipton Correctional Center | 7 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 26 | 32 |
| Boonville Correctional Center | 10 | 40 | 50 | 21 | 117 | 138 |
Randolph County has updated their numbers to include more cases at the Moberly Correctional Center.
Over the weekend, the Randolph County Health Department confirmed 92 cases associated with the Moberly Correctional Center.
In Audrain County, the county health department has confirmed 330 cases are associated with Women's Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center. Currently there are 179 offenders that tested positive for novel coronavirus and two employees.
Vandalia has the third-highest number of offender cases (317 total) behind Farmington and Bonne Terre facilities.
Boonville has the third-highest number of staff cases (50 total)behind Farmington and Bonne Terre facilities.
Mass testing of offenders and staff has been completed at all Missouri Department of Corrections facilities. Additional surveillance sentinel testing, or sample testing, is underway.
All protocols are followed to minimize exposure. When a staff member tests positive for COVID-19, the results are shared with people in the affected locations first, and then all staff are notified.
Missouri's new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations drop
UPDATE 2:40 P.M.: Missouri's new COVID-19 cases came in at less than 1,000 on Monday, which could help lower the seven-day average of new cases further from its peak last week.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Service reported 987 new cases Monday for a total of 133,418 since the pandemic began. Deaths went up by one and now stand at 2,174.
The seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases statewide dropped to 1,234 on Friday, the last day for which the number was available. That number peaked at nearly 1,500 in mid-September and had stayed near or above 1,400 since then.
The seven-day average of deaths in Missouri has also been on the decline, as has the average of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. The seven-day average for deaths was six on Sunday, according to the state's online COVID-19 dashboard. That number got as high as 17 in the past two months.
Missouri reported 8,637 new cases between Sept. 26 and Friday, which was the seventh-most of all of the states. The state reported 44 deaths during that week, good for 13th most.
The positivity rate over that period was 14.2%. The rate measures the percentage of people tested over a week for coronavirus who get a positive result.
The positivity rate was below 10% -- a level health experts say shows wide spread of the virus -- in many Mid-Missouri counties. However, the rate was more than 10% in Camden, Miller, Morgan and Cooper counties.
The seven-day average of hospitalizations peaked Friday at 1,163 but has since fallen to 1,092. The trend is similar in the Mid-Missouri region. However, a record number of COVID-19 patients remain in Boone County hospitals.
Miller County reports 8th virus-related death
UPDATE 1:31 P.M.: The Miller County Health Center reported Monday afternoon an eighth county resident has died from COVID-19.
A Facebook post from the health center said no personal information about the person would be released.
As of Monday, health officials said 589 residents have tested positive for coronavirus with 71 having active cases.
The county's seventh COVID-19 related death was reported on Thursday.
Rock Bridge cancels Friday football game
ORIGINAL: Rock Bridge canceled Friday's football game against Battle because of COVID-19.
High school principal Jacob Sirna said in a tweet, members of the football team may have been exposed to COVID-19 recently.
The tweet said district and health department officials have started contact tracing.
The game was scheduled to be the ABC 17 SportsZone Football Friday game of the week.
