Coronavirus 'hot spot reported at Stoddard County nursing home; second Cape County resident dies because of virus

A COVID-19 "hot spot" has been reported at an area nursing home, and a second Cape Girardeau County resident died Friday because of the disease.

Officials with Stoddard County (Missouri) Public Health Center posted a notice Friday afternoon reporting their "worst fears have been confirmed."

"At this point, we are unsure as to what extent this may reach," the release stated. "We are currently aware of a few existing cases among residents in the nursing home."

The release stated all patients who have tested positive have been admitted to local hospitals as a precautionary measure.

Also, the release noted safety measures in place at the nursing home failed to prevent the virus from spreading.

"... Simply because someone is not showing symptoms of this virus does not mean that they do not have it and are not spreading it. No known (symptomatic) person, employee or otherwise, has been allowed into this nursing home, and yet it still appeared," the release stated.

Cape Girardeau Public Health Center officials reported the county's second COVID-19 death. A release stated the patient was a female in her 70s who tested positive for the virus on April 14 and contracted the virus through close contact with a confirmed case.

Positive cases in the county rose to 54 on Friday, up from 51 on Thursday.

Southern Seven Health Department, which covers seven counties in Illinois, reported four new virus cases in Union County, bringing the county's total to 112. Four deaths in the county have been attributed to the virus.

Scott County's virus count grew by one, to 85. Six county residents have died of COVID-19.

No new cases were reported in Bollinger or Perry counties in Missouri or Alexander County, Illinois.