Three area deaths blamed on coronavirus

Three area residents died of COVID-19 Tuesday and/or Wednesday.

The deaths came in Cape Girardeau, Scott and Stoddard counties and were among several dozen new cases of the disease associated with coronavirus.

Active cases in Cape Girardeau County grew to 411 Tuesday as the county reported 24 new cases, pushing the county’s total number of cases to 1,632. Eighteen county residents have died because of the virus.

Of the new cases, 14 were in Cape Girardeau, eight were in Jackson and two were elsewhere in the county.

In a social media post, Cape Girardeau Central High School officials said someone working at the football game Friday night between Cape Central and Jackson had tested positive for the virus. The statement said the person was wearing a mask and taking “other safety precautions” at the game and health officials had determined the situation as “minimal risk.”

Southeast Missouri State University unveiled a new online virus-tracking dashboard. According to the latest information, university officials have recorded 126 cases — 112 students and 14 employees — and reported 60 active cases, with 13 students in on-campus quarantine/isolation.

Scott County officials reported 24 new cases, 12 on Tuesday and 12 on Wednesday, and one additional death attributed to the virus. The new cases pushed the county’s total number of cases to 848, with 723 recoveries and 16 deaths.

Elsewhere in Missouri, Bollinger County officials reported six new cases Tuesday (392 total cases, 263 recoveries, one death), and Stoddard County officials reported 16 new cases, eight Tuesday and eight Wednesday, and another death attributed to the virus (523 total cases, 399 recoveries, 17 deaths). Perry County officials reported 34 new cases (673 total cases, 583 recoveries, four deaths).

Southern Seven Health Department in Illinois reported eight new cases in Union County, two Tuesday and six Wednesday (491 total cases, 385 recoveries, 20 deaths) and two new cases in Alexander County on Tuesday (72 total cases, 45 recoveries, one death).

Because of the virus, Jackson’s senior center has closed for at least a week, an official said Wednesday morning. Staff will be delivering a week’s worth of frozen meals to homebound seniors, but curbside pick-up will not be available.