30 more coronavirus cases in Cape County

Wednesday, officials with Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center reported 30 new cases, pushing the total number of cases involving county residents to 1,419. Of those, 1,125 have recovered, and 15 deaths have been attributed to the virus. Eighteen of the new cases were in Cape Girardeau, seven were in Jackson and five were elsewhere in the county. As of Wednesday, there were 279 active cases in the county, up 20 from Tuesday.

Southeast Missouri State University reported seven new student cases Tuesday, bringing the number of student cases to 66.

Scott County reported eight new cases Wednesday. Officials with the Chaffee (Missouri) School District reported a virus case at the junior/senior high school. A statement on the district’s website said the district would contact those who had been in close contact with the patient. No other information was provided.

Elsewhere in Missouri, Perry County reported 18 new cases (607 total cases, 504 recoveries, four deaths), and Stoddard County reported 10 new cases (452 total cases, 339 recoveries, 14 deaths).

No update was available from Bollinger County.

Southern Seven Health Department in Illinois reported six new cases in Union County (465 total cases, 368 recoveries, 20 deaths) and two new cases in Alexander County (62 total cases, 43 recoveries, one death).

A new study released Tuesday states Cape Girardeau has one of the fastest-growing COVID-19 case rates in the nation.

The study, conducted and published by The New York Times, ranked the Cape Girardeau area as having the sixth-largest increase in cases per capita when compared to hundreds of other “metro and micro” population areas throughout the United States. Compared to a week ago, the study found the Cape Girardeau area’s coronavirus case rate had more than doubled.

The study also ranked two other Missouri population areas in the top 20 of the nation’s fastest-growing number of coronavirus cases: Farmington, which ranked fourth and Warrensburg at No. 17.

Community testing

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, in cooperation with the Missouri National Guard and local health authorities, will host a free COVID-19 testing event next week in Cape Girardeau. The testing, which will be by appointment only, is scheduled for 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. Sept. 25 in Arena Park.

Appointments may be scheduled online through the DHSS website, www.health.mo.gov/communitytest.

County mask order

Cape Girardeau County remains under a face-mask order issued two months ago by the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center.

The mask mandate and whether it should be continued will be discussed by the health department’s board of trustees when the board meets next week. The public meeting is set for 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau.

Due to time limitations at the meeting, the board is requiring all public comments to be submitted prior to the meeting through a form on the health department’s website, www.cgcohealthdept.com. To access the form, go to the “Board Meeting Information” link on the right side of the page and look for the Survey Monkey link under the date, time and location information for the next board meeting. Comments may be submitted through the website until 4:30 p.m. Monday.

Rick Fahr provided additional reporting for this story.