State's confirmed Scott County COVID-19 case is the resident recovering in Tennessee

SIKESTON — Daily coronavirus updates by county given by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services early Friday listed Scott County as having one confirmed COVID-19 case.

The Standard Democrat has confirmed this case listed in the state’s daily update is the one reported Wednesday by Saint Francis Healthcare System — not a new case in Scott County. After contacting the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services in Jefferson City, the Standard Democrat was directed to the Scott County Health Department.

“To our knowledge this is the case of the Scott County resident who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 and recovering in Tennessee,” said Barry Cook, administrator of the Scott County Health Department in Sikeston. “We know of no other positive COVID-19 case in Scott County.”

On Wednesday, Saint Francis Healthcare System Maryann Reese told the Southeast Missourian an employee of Saint Francis Medical Center who was visiting a daughter out of state had been diagnosed with COVID-19.

“She was last in Cape Girardeau on March 6,” Reese said, which is 12 days ago. According to the World Health Organization, symptoms of coronavirus may appear on to 14 days after exposure but the average incubation period is five days.

“We don’t believe anyone here has been exposed. There are no signs of symptoms with any other employee, but we are taking precautions about anyone she might have interacted with,” Reese said during a telephone call to the Southeast Missourian on Wednesday evening.

A woman, who identified herself as niece to the patient on Facebook and then in a call to the Southeast Missourian, said her aunt lives in Scott County but works in Cape Girardeau.