Virus growth rates slows in Cape County, at least temporarily

COVID-19 cases appeared to slow their rate of growth in the past several days, at least in Cape Girardeau County.

Officials with the county's public health center reported 75 new cases (54 confirmed and 21 probable) since Friday, a decline from recent case increases. The new cases pushed the county's pandemic total to 12,168 cases (9,613 confirmed and 2,555 probable). Officials did not report any new virus-related deaths, and active cases in the county fell to their lowest level in recent weeks, dropping 132 to 284.

As of Monday, 41.1% of the county's residents had completed a COVID-19 vaccine regimen, while 46.5% had initiated a regimen.

Southeast Missouri State University officials reported a continued drop in both active cases on campus and the number of people in on-campus isolation/quarantine. Active cases dropped to 39, from 47 (36 students and three employees), while isolation/quarantine also fell to nine, from 13.

According to the state Department of Health and Senior Services COVID-19 dashboard, updated virus statistics from select Missouri counties included:

• Bollinger — 1,554 total cases (1,451 confirmed and 103 probable), 71 new cases in past seven days, 16 total virus-related deaths, seven-day testing positivity rate of 27%
• Perry — 2,848 total cases (2,759 confirmed and 89 probable), 71 new cases in past seven days, 32 total virus-related deaths, seven-day testing positivity rate of 14.6%
• Scott — 6,682 total cases (5,559 confirmed and 1,123 probable), 211 new cases in past seven days, 100 total virus-related deaths, seven-day testing positivity rate of 26.9%
• Stoddard — 3,931 total cases (3,329 confirmed and 602 probable), 76 new cases in past seven days, 58 total virus-related deaths, seven-day testing positivity rate of 16.5%.