UPDATED NUMBERS: Additional death reported in Scott County; Stoddard County nursing home has outbreak

A nursing home in Stoddard County has an outbreak of positive COVID-19 cases while there have been three deaths in Southeast Missouri reported since Friday.

The Scott County Health Department reported a death related to COVID-19 Monday afternoon and both Cape Girardeau County and New Madrid County reported a death related to COVID-19 on Friday. It was the seventh death in Scott County related to COVID-19 while it was the first death for New Madrid County and the second for Cape County. There was no additional information given about any of the deaths.

The Scott County Health Department is reporting an additional positive COVID-19 case Monday, giving them 86 positive cases. Of those, 16 are active with 63 of those deemed recovered.

New Madrid County Health Department last reported 14 positive cases with two of those active.

According to the Stoddard County Public Health Center, there are 30 positive cases at Crowley Ridge Nursing Home in Dexter, including seven new cases reported Monday morning.

Of the 30 positive cases, 24 are residents at Crowley Ridge with six of those hospitalized. All six are currently in stable condition. There have also been six positive cases among staff at the nursing home.

There have been 59 positive cases in Stoddard County, with only one active case outside of the Crowley Ridge Nursing Home with 28 having recovered.

According to statements from the health department, it has not yet been determined how the virus entered the facility and likely never will be, but was through no error by the nursing home or its staff. Stoddard County Health Center Director Ben Godwin said Crowley Ridge was one of the first to take measures against this type of situation in late February and early March.

“Such is just the nature of this virus,” said Godwin in a statement Friday afternoon. “No matter what measures are taken to prevent it, there are no guarantees something like this will not happen.”

Godwin said residents exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 will be moved to a wing of the nursing home strictly dedicated to this type of patient and “will be cared for with every precaution to prevent further spread of the virus.”

He added that Crowley Ridge has more than enough (personal protective equipment) and other necessary medical equipment and that “anything and everything that can be done to help those in the nursing home, as well as all residents of Stoddard County, is being done.”

There were two more positive COVID-19 cases reported in Mississippi County Monday morning, bringing the total positive cases to 49. Of the 49 positive cases, 43 of those are inmates at the Southeast Correctional Center in Charleston.

However, according to a statement from the Mississippi County Health Department, they are expecting to see an increase in numbers as they continue to see less and less people practicing social distancing.

The Wayne County Health Center has confirmed its first positive case of COVID-19 in Wayne County. The patient’s identity will remain confidential and the person has been notified that they have tested positive for COVID-19. The Center is working with this individual to insure they are following guidelines in regards to isolation.

According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, there is an additional case being reported in Dunklin County, giving them 26 positive cases while two additional cases were reported in Butler County Monday, giving them 30. Cape Girardeau County has an additional case, giving them 54 while Pemiscot County is still reporting 68 positive cases and Bollinger County is still reporting just four positive COVID-19 cases.

Statewide, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is reporting 156 additional cases Monday with 11 more deaths. To date, there have been 10,945 positive tests in Missouri with 605 deaths. Over 151,000 Missourians have been tested.