The Jefferson County Health Department announced five new COVID-19 cases this evening (June 3), bringing the total number of cases in the county to 395.
On Tuesday evening (June 2), the Health Department reported 27 new cases and three more COVID-19 deaths, and on Monday (June 1), it reported a total of 14 new cases from that day and the previous two.
“The increase in new cases we have seen over the past few days are a combined impact of social gatherings over the (Memorial Day) holiday weekend and mass testing following a case investigation at a long-term care facility,” Health Department Director Kelley Vollmar said. “While the case counts have increased over the past few days, we are still reviewing overall weekly trends to guide our planning efforts for community strategy.”
She said it is important to continue taking steps to limit the spread of the virus and urges residents to continue practicing social distancing, frequently washing hands with soap and water or 60 percent alcohol-based hand sanitizer, wearing a face covering in public, staying home when you are sick, and covering your cough and sneeze.
County coronavirus stats
Of the 395 cases in the county, 126 are open, or active, ones, the Health Department reported.
Active cases are the number of positive cases excluding COVID-19 deaths and those patients who have been released from isolation.
The Health Department reported that as of today, the county has had 18 COVID-19-related deaths, and 251 people have been released from isolation, which means they recovered enough to be released from case management.
The minimum criteria for patients diagnosed with the disease to be released from case management is that they “are seven days past the onset of their symptoms, they have improved symptoms and they are fever free for at least 72 hours,” Vollmar said.
The Health Department also reported that 48 county residents have been hospitalized due to the coronavirus.
According to the Health Department, 161 of the county’s coronavirus cases have been men, 227 cases women and seven unknown cases.
The confirmed COVID-19 cases in the county include one person younger than nine, seven people 10 to 19 years old, 38 people 20-29 years old, 55 people 30-39 years old, 51 people 40-49 years old, 82 people 50-59 years old, 71 people 60-69 years old, 38 people 70-79 years old, 45 people in their 80s or older and seven unknown cases.
The Health Department also reported that cases in the county have been reported for the following ZIP codes: 64 cases and 34 recovered cases in 63010 (Arnold), 15 cases and 12 recovered cases in 63012 (Barnhart), 26 cases and 11 recovered cases in 63016 (Cedar Hill), nine cases and seven recovered cases in 63019 (Crystal City), 23 cases and 21 recovered cases in 63020 (De Soto), six cases and one recovered case in 63023 (Dittmer), four cases and four recovered cases in 63025 (Eureka), 34 cases and 26 recovered cases in 63026 (Fenton), 107 cases and 37 recovered cases in 63028 (Festus), four cases and three recovered in 63048 (Herculaneum), 16 cases and 13 recovered cases in 63049 (High Ridge), 13 cases and 10 recovered cases in 63050 (Hillsboro), 20 cases and 18 recovered cases in 63051 (House Springs), 30 cases and 25 recovered cases in 63052 (Imperial), one case and one recovered case in 63069 (Pacific) and 11 cases and eight recovered cases in 63070 (Pevely). Information is not available for 12 cases.
In addition, the Health Department reported today that it has monitored a total of 736 cases, and of those, 320 are still actively being monitored and another 416 have been released from monitoring.
Brianne Zwiener, communications specialist with the Health Department, said a person who is being actively monitored has been in contact with a positive case, but is not showing symptoms. She said people who are actively monitored are quarantined to their homes and must take their temperature twice a day for 14 days.
Zwiener said a person released from monitoring has completed the 14 days without a temperature or symptoms.
Long-term care facilities
Of the county’s 18 COVID-19 deaths, 14 have been at long-term care facilities.
At least five of the deaths at county long-term care facilities have been at Festus Manor Care Center, where at least 62 residents and 25 staff members have tested positive for the coronavirus.
The Health Department reported that 156 of the county’s COVID-19 cases have been at long-term care facilities, which includes residents and staff members who live inside Jefferson County. A new case was reported today.
According to a dashboard the state has set up, Jefferson County has had five outbreaks in long-term care facilities. In addition to Festus Manor, the outbreaks have been at Big River Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Cedar Hill; Scenic View Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Herculaneum; Fountainbleau Nursing Center south of Festus; and Woodland Manor Nursing Center in Arnold.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services defines an outbreak as one or more residents testing positive for the virus or one or more staff members who have worked within a facility in the 14 days before testing positive.
Of the cases at long-term care facilities, 96 are active ones, and 46 have been released from isolation. Also, according to the Health Department, 18 people from long-term care facilities have been hospitalized.
Residents in long-term care facilities go through two quarantine periods before being released from isolation, the Health Department reported.
State, U.S. stats
As of today, Missouri had 13,767 positive cases of the coronavirus and 786 deaths related to the disease, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported the U.S. had 1,827,425 cases, which includes 24,955 new cases and a total of 106,202 coronavirus-related deaths, including 1,045 new deaths, as of today.
Anyone who shows coronavirus symptoms or who has questions should call the Missouri State Hotline at 877-435-8411 or the Mercy Clinical Support Line at 314-251-0500. For more information about COVID-19, visit jeffcohealth.org/coronavirus-covid19.
