9 virus deaths reported; surge is expected

The number of positive COVID-19 cases continues to increase as health experts worry the numbers will surge after many Americans traveled and took part in large gatherings for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Health experts had pleaded with Americans to stay home over Thanksgiving and not gather with anyone who didn’t live with them. Nevertheless, almost 1.2 million people passed through U.S. airports Sunday, the most since the pandemic gripped the country in March, and others took to the highways to be with family and friends.

Now they’re being urged to watch for any signs of illness and get tested right away if they experience symptoms.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s foremost infectious-disease expert, warned on ABC over the weekend that the country could see a “surge upon surge” of infections tied to Thanksgiving. And White House cornonavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx told CBS that people who traveled should “assume that you were exposed and you became infected,” and get tested if they experience symptoms.

Locally, nine deaths related to the virus were reported in the area, since Friday, with five of those coming in Stoddard County.

The Stoddard County Public Health Center reported 64 new cases since Friday with 23 reported over the weekend and 41 on Monday.

To date, there are 283 active cases in the county with 1,843 recovered. There have been 42 deaths in Stoddard County since the pandemic began.

The Mississippi County Health Department reports 130 new positive cases in the last week, along with two additional deaths, giving the county 10 deaths since the pandemic began.

Currently there are 280 positive cases in Mississippi County, up 16 from last week. However of those active cases, 103 are in the general community, down from 120 last week. Both deaths came from the general community.

The Southeast Correctional Center in Charleston saw an increase in active cases from 144 to 177.

An additional death was reported in Cape Girardeau County, an individual in their 60s. The death is the 70th in county with 1,394 cases currently active. There has been 4,263 cases resolved since the pandemic began.

The Pemiscot County Health Center reported their 22nd death related to COVID-19 Monday afternoon. There are 67 active cases in Pemiscot County with 17 hospitalizations. Over 1,150 have been released from isolation.

The Scott County Health Department is reporting the most active cases since the pandemic began in March. There has been 153 positive cases reported in Scott County since Friday along with 73 recoveries. As of Monday afternoon, there are 849 active cases in the county with 42 new cases reported Friday, 30 on both Saturday and Sunday and 51 new cases reported Monday. There have been 40 deaths in the county related to the virus since the pandemic began in March.

The Dunklin County Health Department is currently reporting 68 active cases with 12 deaths since the pandemic began. There have been 2,095 recoveries since the pandemic began.

Statewide, Statewide, Missouri reported 2,498 COVID-19 hospitalizations as of Friday, with 27% of inpatient beds still available, the latest hospitalization data available on the state’s COVID-19 dashboard.

Missouri has reported 302,691 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 4,006 deaths since the pandemic began.

In suburban St. Louis, a hospital official warned that hospitalizations could double in two to three weeks if people don’t quarantine after Thanksgiving gatherings. SSM Health DePaul Hospital in Bridgeton, Missouri, last week brought in a morgue trailer to store the dead, canceled elective surgeries and doubled up patients in rooms.

“We will be absolutely overwhelmed,” said Shelly Cordum, vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer. “I can’t even imagine what we are going to be facing in three weeks if we stay on this path.”

– The Associated Press contributed to this story