Virus numbers continue significant drop

COVID-19 numbers continue to drop significantly in the region.

In Cape Girardeau County, the total number of coronavirus cases stood at 9,315 Friday, but in the past seven days, health officials have tallied an average of only two new cases per day, according to the state Department of Health and Senior Services.

Officials at the county Public Health Center reported Friday active cases in the county dropped to 21. Weeks ago, active cases stood at 1,600. Deaths attributed to the virus have remained at 132 for a month. As of Friday, nine patients were in COVID units in county hospitals.

The county's testing positivity rate over the past 14 days has been 8.6%.

Twenty percent of the county's residents have had at least one vaccine dose, compared to 15.5% of the state's residents, and 14.2% of county residents have had two vaccine doses, compared to 8.1% of all Missourians.

Medical bed availability in the county stood at 22% Friday, while ICU bed availability was 39% and ventilator availability was 34%.

Virus numbers from other Missouri counties as of Friday included:

• Bollinger: 1,054 total cases, 12 deaths, one new case in the past seven days, 3.2% testing positivity rate, 31 tests performed in past seven days (105th among the state's counties)
• Perry: 2,052 total cases, 27 deaths, an average of one new case per day in the past seven days, 8.7% testing positivity rate, 103 tests performed in past seven days (68th among the state's counties)
• Scott: 3,845 total cases, 77 deaths, an average of two new cases per day in the past seven days, 9.6% testing positivity rate, 157 tests performed in past seven days (54th among the state's counties)
• Stoddard: 2,323 total cases, 38 deaths, an average of two new cases per day in the past seven days, 9.1% testing positivity rate, 187 tests performed in past seven days (50th among the state's counties).

Vaccine clinics

Vaccine dose information for surrounding Missouri counties can be found here:

• Bollinger: www.bollingercountyhealth.org/covid-19.html
• Cape Girardeau: www.keepcapestrong.com
• Perry: www.perrycountyhealth.com
• Scott: www.scottcountyhealth.com/interrupter.phpb
• Stoddard: www.stoddardcountyhealth.com.

The State of Missouri's vaccine navigator, which includes statewide vaccine information, is online at www.covidvaccine.mo.gov/navigator.

Follow all of the Southeast Missourian's COVID-19 coverage at www.semissourian.com/coronavirus.