FRIDAY UPDATES: Boone County reports one coronavirus-related death; 42 new cases

The Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services reported one new coronavirus death. This is the 154 coronavirus-related death. The individual was in the 70-74 age group and died Sept. 28.

The county reported 42 new COVID-19 cases for Friday.

There are currently 354 active cases in the county, a decrease of four from Thursday. The county now has a reported total number of 24,620 COVID-19 cases.

The county reported 24,112 cases removed from isolation.

Boone County ranks 12th in the state with the most coronavirus cases in total volume in the past week. Cases are down 38.2% on the week. The county has a 6% positive test rate, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS).

The health department's hospital status is green with 62 COVID-19 patients in Boone County hospitals and 12 of them being Boone County residents. Of those, 16 are in intensive care and 14 are on ventilators.

The Missouri coronavirus vaccine dashboard reports that 101,845 residents have received their first dose in Boone County and 92,063 Boone County residents have completed their vaccine doses.

Boone County has the third-largest percentage of county residents in Missouri that have received at least one dose of the vaccine with 56.4%. The largest county in the state is St. Louis County with 58.5%.

Boone County is third in the state with a reported 51% of residents that have completed their coronavirus vaccine doses. St. Louis County is the first county in the state with 52.4% of residents have completed the doses for vaccination. The city of Joplin has 55.6% of the population fully vaccinated.

Cole County has the second-highest first vaccination rate in Mid-Missouri with 49.8%. Callaway County is third with 45.1%.

The Columbia Public Schools reports active coronavirus and quarantine cases to their website daily.

The district reported a 26.2 14-day rate per 10,000 for Thursday.

CPS reports nine district facilities (four elementary school, three high schools and two district-wide facilities) currently have staff out because of COVID-19. There is four staff at elementary and two staff at the high school level that has tested positive for the coronavirus. The district has one elementary staff member, one high school staff member and one staff member at a district-wide facility currently quarantined because of COVID.

The district reports 30 district facilities to have students currently out due to the coronavirus. There are 19 out of 21 elementary, five out of seven middle schools, three out of four high schools and three districtwide facilities affected.

There are 40 students that have tested positive for COVID-19, a decrease of two cases from Thursday. The district is reporting 21 students in elementary, four students in middle school and 15 students in high school have tested positive for the coronavirus.

There are 280 students, which are required to quarantine due to the coronavirus, an increase of 59 students from Thursday. The district reports 215 elementary students are currently quarantining, 40 students in middle school, 23 students in high school and three at other district facilities.

Cole County reports 10 new coronavirus cases

The Cole County Health Department reported 10 new coronavirus cases from over the weekend.

According to the dashboard update, there are 10,946 residential cases and 284 long-term care facility resident cases. That is 11,230 total cases in the county.

Cole County has reported 161 coronavirus deaths.

Cole County ranks 40th in the state for counties with the most coronavirus cases per capita in the past week. Cases are down 6.4% comparing last week to the prior week. The county has an 8.5% positive test rate, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

The Missouri coronavirus vaccine dashboard reports about 49.8% of the county have initiated their first dose of the vaccine and 45.5% of the county's population have been fully vaccinated.

The Jefferson City School District reported four new coronavirus cases in students and one new case in a staff member.

The district is reporting 11 active cases in students and two active cases in a staff member.

The district is reporting 11 close contacts for students and one close contact for staff.

MU Health Care says nearly all employees vaccinated or exempt as deadline arrives

MU Health Care said Friday that about 95% of its workforce has either been vaccinated against the coronavirus or received an exemption.

The organization said that equates to about 9,000 employees who have been verified as having their shots or a medical or religious exception. The deadline to be vaccinated or obtain an exemption was Friday.

MU Health spokesman Eric Maze said the organization is still processing paperwork from employees and anticipates the number will rise.

Most of the 40,000 employees at SSM Health, which operates St. Mary's Hospital in Jefferson City, have been vaccinated or received an exemption, said spokeswoman Jessica Royston. She did not provide a specific number.

Maze and Royston declined to share how many employees received an exemption.

"Each exemption request is reviewed carefully, with an eye toward ensuring we’re providing the safest possible environment while also respecting people’s individual situations," Royston said in an email response to questions. "Employees who have received a medical or religious exemption are being tested weekly for COVID-19, in addition to being screened daily for symptoms."

The state health department reports 51% of Boone County residents, where MU Health Care is based, have been fully vaccinated. In Cole County, home to St. Mary's, 45.5% of the population is fully vaccinated.

Missouri adds more than 1,800 new COVID-19 cases

The state health department reported more than 1,800 new cases of COVID-19 in Missouri on Friday.

According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, 1,378 of the patients tested positive through PCR testing.

That's above Missouri's daily average of 1,106 cases for the testing method. PCR testing has revealed at least 678,112 cases of COVID-19.

Another 511 patients tested positive for COVID-19 through antigen testing. The additional antigen testing cases increased the state's total to 143,510.

The statewide seven-day positivity rate remained unchanged at 8.8%.

According to the state health department, 22 more patients died from coronavirus-related causes. That pushed Missouri's death toll to 11,515 since the pandemic started.

Hospitals in Missouri reported 1,590 patients are hospitalized with COVID-19. Of those patients, 291 are on ventilators.

More than 2.9 million Missourians have finished the coronavirus vaccination process.

That's 47.6% of the state's population.