New state coronavirus dashboard unveiled as Missouri enters endemic phase

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Department of Health and Senior Services' new coronavirus dashboard is now in use for Missourians after state leaders said last week Missouri is entering the endemic phase of its COVID-19 response.

Missouri entered an endemic phase Friday following an announcement from Gov. Mike Parson and Department of Health and Senior Services Acting Director Paula Nickelson. As the state scales back from its two-year-long emergency phase, the health department will update its COVID-19 dashboard weekly rather than daily.

The new dashboard shows a seven-day case average, activity by region and county, statewide data on COVID hospitalizations and variants in Missouri. The website says the department has shifted from monitoring case numbers to monitoring the severity and overall impact of the virus on the state.

The dashboard shows 1,131 over the past week cases and 477 Missourians hospitalized with COVID-19 with 61 in intensive care. Most Missouri counties have low transmission. Nine counties have medium transmission, including Pettis County, and two have high transmission.

“Missourians should feel confident that we will remain vigilant when monitoring COVID-19 levels throughout the state," Nickelson said Wednesday.

According to a booklet the state released on its endemic phase, the state wants to have a flexible approach to data tracking moving forward to allow changes if necessary for future surges.

“We don’t know if this virus will ever completely go away, but we do know that there is no longer a need to live in crisis mode and that we can shift our response to meet the current needs of Missourians," Parson said Wednesday. "The COVID-19 crisis is over in the state of Missouri, and we are moving on."

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