TUESDAY UPDATES: Missouri state profile report shows cases up over 19% compared to the previous week

The latest State Profile Report shows over half of Missouri remains at a medium or low community level of COVID-19. The report shows new cases are up 19% compared to last week with 246 cases per 100,000 people.

The report shows Missouri had 15,088 new cases of COVID-19 for the week of July 21.

The report also indicates that 24 residents died from the coronavirus, a 31% decrease from the previous week.

Most of Missouri’s counties, (47) Audrain, Chariton, Cole, Cooper, Howard, Maries, Miller, Moniteau, and Randolph are considered medium community level. In Mid-Missouri, Montgomery County is the only county in Mid-Missouri considered to have a low community level.

Another 47 counties in Missouri are considered to have a high community level. That includes Boone, Callaway, Camden, Morgan, Pettis, and Saline County.

Over 78% of Missouri residents 18 years and old have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine and 66.5% are considered fully vaccinated.

According to the report, all coronavirus cases were identified as the omicron variant or subvariant.

According to the report, seven hospitals are dealing with supply shortages or six percent of all hospitals.

Boone County nears 49,000 total COVID cases; 43 new cases added to dashboard

The Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services is reporting that 43 new coronavirus cases were added to the information hub on Tuesday. The county reported 23 cases on Sunday and the rest of the cases were reported in the month of July.

The county delays reporting cases by two days.

The dashboard is showing 38 COVID-19 patients in Boone County hospitals. There are six patients in the ICU and one patient is on a ventilator.

The health care system capacity moved to yellow. Yellow status means:

• Delaying non-emergency patient transfers from referring hospitals due to capacity for greater than two (2) days, or
• Delaying non-emergency patient transfers from referring hospitals due to staffing for greater than two (2) consecutive days, or
• Delaying non-urgent procedures and operations to provide additional inpatient capacity

Additionally, 48,976 COVID-19 cases were recorded previously.

Boone County is reported to have a high COVID-19 community level, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). 

Here are the CDC's risk mitigation recommendations for the red (high) level:

• Wear a mask indoors in public
• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
• Get tested if you have symptoms
• Additional precautions may be needed for people at high risk for severe illness

If you took a COVID-19 test at home that was positive, Boone County is also encouraging those that took the test to report the results at the link.

Cole County reports 17 new COVID cases

The Cole County Health Department reported 17 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday. The county reported one new case on July 19, one new case on Wednesday, one new case on Friday, two new cases on Sunday and 12 new cases on Monday.

In the week prior to July 22, there were 73 COVID positive cases, 44 breakthrough cases and zero COVID deaths.

According to a release, 61% or 46,850 of Cole County residents have received at least one dose of the COVID Vaccine.