Cape County testing results reveal more COVID positives among younger people

Cape Girardeau County has reported 10 new positive cases of coronavirus within a 24-hour period, said Mark Winkler, the county’s emergency management agency director.

Testing reveals more younger people are being affected, he said.

“We are seeing more cases in the 20 to 29 age group,” Winkler told county commissioners Thursday morning.

“Four of those 10 new cases are in their 20s,” confirmed Jane Wernsman, director of the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center. “We have definitely seen a shift to younger people.”

On a related note, Lutheran Home spokeswoman Melody Harpur said half of the skilled nursing facility’s four total positives have been for workers in their 20s.

Two new cases were reported at the facility off Bloomfield Road on Tuesday night and are not part of the county’s most recent numbers.

No Lutheran Home resident has tested positive. All cases are among employees only, Harpur said.

Winkler said a renewed educational effort at the county level is going to be made to those younger than 30.

“We got a little too relaxed, (so) the advice for everybody is to keep monitoring our surroundings and maintain social distancing,” he said.

Wernsman said 411 people took part in the June 5 community testing at Arena Park, with 361 of them being residents of Cape Girardeau County.

“Out of all those who received the nasal swab on Friday, one person tested positive for COVID and has been notified,” she added.

Thursday’s Cape Girardeau County COVID dashboard reports the following:

• 5,380 individuals have been tested overall, 6.8% of the county’s population.
• 125 tested positive: 50 in the City of Cape Girardeau, 40 in Jackson and 35 in Cape Girardeau County.
• 125 tested positive: 96 classified “confirmed,” 29 as “probable.”
• 96 confirmed cases: Eight travel-related, 48 close contact, 40 unknown.
• Three deaths.
• 87 have recovered.
• 69% recovery rate.

Cape Girardeau County commissioners agreed Thursday to fund two proposed COVID-related expenditures out of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding:

• $3,658 for fogger and mist equipment from Advanced Turf Solutions of Cape Girardeau to disinfect county park playgrounds and pavilions.
• $2,164 for protective health shields purchased from Columbia Construction of Cape Girardeau for the county recorder’s office.

In non-COVID action, the commissioners agreed to a $300,000 increase in the budget line item for new equipment to allow the purchase of a dump truck and backhoe. Money will come from the Highway Fund.

Additionally, road improvements for $31,260 were approved to a 0.4-mile section of County Road 354 and a 2.2 mile stretch of County Road 244.