Cape County COVID-19 cases remain at 14; Show Me Center identified as potential alternate care site

COVID-19 cases in Cape Girardeau County remained at the previous day’s level Tuesday — 14.

Of those, nine involved Jackson residents, three were Cape Girardeau cases, and two were Cape Girardeau County cases.

Four people remained hospitalized. Of the 14, two people had recovered.

Case origins were: travel related, six; contact with an infected person, four; unknown, four.

As of Tuesday, Saint Francis Medical Center reported performing 345 tests, with seven positive results and 116 negative results. Southeast Hospital had performed 106 tests, with one positive and 45 negative.

Positive cases in area counties are: Bollinger, one; Perry, 14; and Scott, 6.

The total number of positive cases in the state was 1,327, with 14 deaths, as of Tuesday. According to the state Department of Health and Senior Services, 15,645 Missourians had been tested for the virus.

State actions

Gov. Mike Parson’s office released information Tuesday stating the National Guard has identified sites across the state to use as potential alternate care sites.

In the group is the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.

Criterion for the sites include them being in areas with deficient bed counts, spaces large enough for patient populations and available utilities to start immediate construction if necessary.

The governor’s office also noted several companies based in the state, including Orscheln Farm and Home, have stepped forward to help “procure or produce” personal protective equipment for health care workers.

The State of Illinois sent an emergency alert Tuesday afternoon asking all licensed health care workers to register with Illinois Helps, a volunteer management system tracking health care workers available to respond to a disaster. The call for volunteers to register included physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, physician assistants, medics, LPNs, CNAs, podiatrists and dentists. As of Tuesday, Illinois was reporting about 6,000 cases and 105 deaths.