A Halloween {party|celebration} {has|has actually} {led to|resulted in|caused} {possibly|potentially|perhaps} 200 St. Louis County high school
{students|trainees} being exposed to COVID-19.”{No one|Nobody} {wants to|wishes to} {shut down|close down} our economy and {no one|nobody} {wants|desires} more {restrictions|limitations|constraints},”Page {said|stated}.”We {understand|comprehend} how {harmful|hazardous|damaging} that will be. {{But|However} we can’t {stand by|wait} as this {virus|infection} continues to {rage|rave} in our {community|neighborhood}.”| We can’t stand by as this {virus|infection} continues to {rage|rave} in our {community|neighborhood}.”} Missouri is {among|amongst} {dozens|lots} of states seeing {a big|a huge} {increase|boost} in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. After reaching {new|brand-new} records in cases {several|a number of|numerous} times {last week|recently}, culminating with a high of 4,559 on Saturday, the state health department reported {better|much better} numbers Monday– 3,244 {new|brand-new} cases and no {new|brand-new} deaths.
It’s {too early|prematurely} to {tell|inform} if that was a one-day blip or the start of {a trend|a pattern}.
State {data|information} {showed|revealed} Missouri’s positivity rate at 19.5%– {nearly|almost} {four|4} times the benchmark {suggested|recommended} by the World Health {Organization|Company}. Missouri {has|has actually} now reported 212,441 {confirmed|verified|validated} cases and 3,153 deaths {since|because|considering that|given that} the start of the pandemic.
On Sunday, Dr. Alex Garza of the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic {Task|Job} Force {cited|mentioned|pointed out} a” frightening “{amount|quantity} of {virus|infection} in the St. Louis {area|location}, and he {warned|cautioned|alerted} that
{hospitals|medical facilities|healthcare facilities|health centers} are {increasingly|progressively|significantly} {overwhelmed|overloaded}. {Average|Typical} {daily|everyday|day-to-day} hospitalizations and admissions have more than {doubled over|folded} the {past|previous} month at St. Louis-area {hospitals|medical facilities|healthcare facilities|health centers}.” There is {really|truly|actually} no safe harbor now, whether it’s rural, {{suburban|rural} or {urban|metropolitan|city}|{urban|metropolitan|city} or {suburban|rural}}– we
‘re seeing admissions from all over,”Garza {said|stated} Sunday. Page didn’t {specify|define} what {new|brand-new} {restrictions|limitations|constraints} were on the table. {For now|In the meantime}, he {urged|advised|prompted} {residents|locals|citizens|homeowners} to {avoid|prevent} {personal|individual} interactions when possible; {wear|use} a mask {everywhere|all over} {except|other than} {at home|in your home|in the house}; {identify|determine|recognize} a group of 10 {people|individuals} or {fewer|less} to come into {regular|routine} contact with; and to self-quarantine for {two|2} weeks after travel or {attending|going to|participating in} {a larger|a bigger} {event|occasion}.
“We have one last {chance|possibility|opportunity} to slow the cases of COVID-19 here in our {community|neighborhood} {before|prior to} we are {forced|required} to {take action|act|do something about it},” Page {said|stated}.
As {evidence|proof} that some in the {community|neighborhood} still aren’t taking the {necessary|required|needed|essential} {precautions|safety measures|preventative measures}, Page
{cited|mentioned|pointed out} a Halloween {party|celebration} {involving|including} {up to|as much as|approximately} 200 high school {students|trainees}. {At least|A minimum of} {five|5} {have|have actually} {already|currently} {tested|evaluated|checked} {positive|favorable} for the {virus|infection}, he {said|stated}. St. Louis city {also|likewise} isn’t {ruling out|eliminating|dismissing} {new|brand-new} {restrictions|limitations|constraints}, {said|stated} Jacob Long, {spokesman|spokesperson|representative} for Mayor Lyda Krewson, {also|likewise} a Democrat. {A new|A brand-new} shutdown”{remains|stays} a possibility for the city if we {don’t|do not} see {a dramatic|a remarkable|a significant} {change|modification} in {personal|individual} {behavior|habits} to {gain|acquire|get} {stronger|more powerful} compliance in mask {wearing|using} and {smaller|smaller sized} {personal|individual} {gatherings|events},” Long {said|stated} in {a statement|a declaration}.
Springfield, Missouri’s third-largest city, isn’t {currently|presently} weighing {a new|a brand-new} shutdown, {spokeswoman|spokesperson} Cora Scott {said|stated}. Messages {left with|entrusted to|entrusted} {officials|authorities} in Kansas City, Jackson County and Columbia were not {immediately|instantly|right away} returned.
In the Kansas City {metropolitan area|city}, the seven-day average for {new|brand-new} cases was 794 {per day|each day|daily}, the Kansas City Star reported. {Two|2} weeks {ago|back|earlier}, the seven-day average was 364.