Cape County's coronavirus cases top 9,500

Cape Girardeau County's COVID-19 numbers are not changing much week to week, but the virus is stubbornly hanging around.

Mark Winkler, the county's emergency management director, updated county commissioners Thursday, saying the county has recorded 9,511 virus cases and 134 virus-related deaths. The death toll has remained unchanged for several weeks.

Winkler said the county's testing positivity rate for the latest 14-day period was 6.6%, up from 6.3% the previous week.

A third -- 33.9% -- of the county's residents have received at least one vaccine dose, compared to 38.9% of all Missourians. Winkler said 2.4 million Missourians and 26,745 Cape Girardeau County residents have received at least one vaccine dose, while 1.95 million Missourians and 23,249 Cape Girardeau County residents have completed the regimen.

Winkler noted various vaccine clinics continue, and he encouraged the county's residents to "get your shots."

Region

Other COVID-19 statistics from surrounding Missouri counties:

• Bollinger: confirmed cases, 1,085; virus-related deaths, 12; new cases in past seven days, 5; seven-day positivity rate, 10.9%
• Perry: confirmed cases, 2,168; virus-related deaths, 30; new cases in past seven days, 7; seven-day positivity rate, 7.3%
• Scott: confirmed cases, 3,953; virus-related deaths, 84; new cases in past seven days, 5; seven-day positivity rate, 4.4%
• Stoddard: confirmed cases, 2,371; virus-related deaths, 37; new cases in past seven days, 3; seven-day positivity rate, 3.1%.

In Illinois, Union County has confirmed 2,216 cases and 32 virus-related deaths, while Alexander County has confirmed 461 cases and seven virus-related deaths.