FRIDAY UPDATES: Boone County reports fourth death this week, 65th overall

Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services is reporting one new coronavirus related death. The individual was in the 80+ age group. 

This is the 65th COVID-19 related death since March 18. This is the fourth COVID-19 related death this week and the seventh death this year.

The health department is reporting 95 new COVID-19 cases for Friday, one case fewer than Thursday.

The dashboard is currently reporting 717 active cases, a 39 case decrease from Thrusday.

The county now has a reported total number of COVID-19 cases of 15,395.

The county has reported the total number of cases removed from isolation is 14,613, an increase of 133 from Thursday.

Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services dashboard has reported the latest five-day average as 91.

The dashboard is reporting the positivity rate of 27.8% for last Friday through Thursday.

The health department is reporting the total number of hospitalizations in Boone County is 100, a decrease of 8 patients hospitalized.

The number of Boone County residents hospitalized is reported to be 36.

The dashboard is reporting 24 COVID-19 patients in the ICU and 11 patients on ventilators.

The hospital status is still currently in the 'yellow' zone.

Capital Region’s changing COVID-19 drive-thru testing hours

Beginning Saturday, Capital Region Medical Center in Jefferson City is changing their COVID-19 drive-thru hours of operation.

The site's new hours are 8 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday with no testing on Sunday.

Officials say a physician's order is still required to obtain testing and only tests for COVID-19 will be given.

Since opening, CRMC’s mobile testing site has completed over 30,000 tests for the mid-Missouri community.

Director of the Department of Public Safety Sandy Karsten tests positive for COVID-19

Director of the Department of Public Safety Sandy Karsten has tested positive for COVID-19 from a rapid test result. The director has not received the results of her PCR test.

Officials say Director Karsten was tested after a slight cough and is working from home.

Officials say the director was following COVID-19 guidelines and it shows how the coronavirus can still be transmitted.

The department has been cleaning and sanitizing where the director was prior to the positive test and notifying anyone that may be considered a close contact with Director Karsten.

The department says Director Karsten’s oversight of day-to-day operations has not been affected.

State Senate to push ahead with work after House cancels

The Missouri Senate will be in session next week despite House leaders saying their chamber will stay home because of coronavirus cases.

Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, and Majority Leader Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, said in a news release Friday that the Senate will be in session starting Tuesday. Monday is the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

"At this early stage in the legislative session, it’s critical that we keep the process moving forward for the benefit of all Missourians," the leaders said in a statement. "The greater ease to which senators and staff can remain socially distant gives us confidence in our ability to work safely through the week."

The statement says the Senate will remain flexible with its schedule in case coronavirus forces changes. Senators have also taken additional precautions within their offices, the statement says.

House leadership said Thursday that the chamber will not be in session next week, citing the rising number of cases in the Capitol.

State positivity drops to lowest level in months

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services coronavirus dashboard said the state's seven-day COVID-19 positivity rate was at its lowest level in months.

Health department data said the rate dropped down nearly a full percentage point to 15.2% on Tuesday -- the most updated information available.

According to the dashboard, the rate is near levels Missouri saw in early November.

Recently, the positivity rate has been falling after hitting almost 20-percent at the start of January.

Even though the rate has fallen, it still indicates widespread COVID-19 in Missouri, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The health department also reported 2,231 new COVID-19 cases on Friday. It brings the pandemic total up to 434,188.

Daily virus-related deaths went up as well -- 28 more were reported on Friday. The pandemic total topped out at 6,229.

Missouri ranked 20th in the country for new COVID-19 cases reported over the last week -- 15,519. The dashboard said the state was 17th in the US for new coronavirus deaths over the same time period -- 56.

Hospital officials said 2,611 people were hospitalized and 592 were in the ICU because of COVID-19.