Virus cases continue rise in Cape County

COVID-19 cases continued their upward trend in Cape Girardeau County as the week ended.

Officials with the county's Public Health Center reported 40 new cases Thursday and 31 Friday, pushing the county's total number of cases to 1,490. Recoveries from the disease associated with coronavirus grew to 1,141, but the new cases are out-pacing recoveries. Active cases totaled 319 Friday, up from 279 Wednesday and more than triple the number of active cases in the county in early August. The bulk of the new cases continue to come from within Cape Girardeau.

Fifteen county residents have died of the virus.

Patients hospitalized with the virus are increasing, too. As of Wednesday, county hospitals counted 25 COVID-19 patients. By Friday, the number had grown to 34, though none of the newly hospitalized patients were Cape Girardeau County residents.

Southeast Missouri State University counted 16 new student virus cases Thursday and Friday, making the total number of students diagnosed with the disease 82.

Elsewhere in Missouri, Scott County only reported three new cases Friday, making the county's total number of cases 796, while 700 residents have recovered from the virus and 15 deaths have been attributed to it, including one death Thursday. Perry County health officials reported 11 new cases Thursday and Friday (621 total cases, 548 recoveries, four deaths).

Bollinger County has added 44 cases since Tuesday (368 total cases, 229 recoveries, one death). Stoddard County officials reported 12 new cases Friday (476 total cases, 349 recoveries, 14 deaths). The county reports active cases in its jurisdiction: Advance, five, increase of one from previous week; Bernie, 10, increase of two; Bloomfield, seven, increase of one; Dexter, 21, increase of six; Puxico, 15, increase of six; Bell City, 12; and Essex, 3, increase of two.

Southern Seven Health Department in Illinois reported one new case in Alexander County (64 total cases, 44 recoveries, one death) and six new cases in Union County (479 total cases, 373 recoveries, 20 deaths).