Area health officials updating virus numbers more regularly

As COVID-19 cases have again begun to rise in Southeast Missouri, county health departments are updating their virus statistics more frequently.

Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center officials announced they will be updating the county's number three times a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday). For some time, officials have updated those numbers on a weekly basis (Wednesday).

While other county health officials have not formally announced updating plans, their reporting has generally become more frequent in recent days.

County numbers

As of Wednesday, Cape Girardeau County health officials reported 90 new confirmed cases and 26 new probable cases since Monday, for 10,651 confirmed and probable cases during the pandemic. As of Wednesday, there were 338 active cases in the county, down 19 from Monday. No additional virus-related deaths were reported. During the pandemic, 138 county residents have died because of the virus.

Scott County reported Wednesday 37 new virus cases since Monday. Officials have recorded 4,541 confirmed cases, 608 probable cases and 89 deaths during the pandemic. As of Wednesday, there were 242 active confirmed cases and 44 active probable cases in the county.

Health officials in Stoddard County reported Monday 62 new cases since Friday, for a total of 3,922 total cases and 78 deaths.

In Bollinger County, officials tallied 28 new cases in the past week, totaling 1,337 confirmed cases as of Monday. Probable cases increased by six to 237 in the past week, while active cases grew by 19 in that period to 80. Twenty county residents have died because of the virus.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Perry County health officials had not updated their website virus statistics since Aug. 12. The state Department of Health and Senior Services website, as of Wednesday, said county officials have tallied 2,408 confirmed cases and 75 probable cases, with 55 new cases in the previous seven days. Thirty county residents have died because of the virus.

Other data

Statewide, officials have recorded 606,552 confirmed virus cases and 121,012 probable cases. In the past seven days, those numbers increased by 12,997 confirmed cases and 4,234 probable cases. Virus-related deaths across the state total 10,161, with 49 of those coming in the past seven days.

More than half of the state's population (50.5%) has initiated a vaccine regimen, and 43.4% have completed it. In several Southeast Missouri counties, the numbers are lower: Cape Girardeau — 42.0% initiated, 36.0% completed; Bollinger — 28.5% initiated, 24.6% completed; Perry — 34.5% initiated, 30.0% completed; Scott — 38.8% initiated, 33.7% completed; and Stoddard — 33.5% initiated, 27.8% completed.

As of Wednesday, 2,336 COVID patients were hospitalized across the state, near the pandemic peak last winter. Nineteen percent of the state's inpatient hospital beds were empty Wednesday. There were 658 virus patients in intensive care units, the highest number of the pandemic, leaving 16% of the state's ICU beds available. Two-thirds of the state's available ventilators were available Wednesday, but 376 virus patients across the state were on a ventilator.

In Southeast Missouri, 116 virus patients were hospitalized, leaving 19% of the region's beds available. Thirty-eight were in intensive care units, taking up 68% of the available beds. Thirty patients were on ventilators.