The Jefferson County Health Department has reported 14 more COVID-19-related deaths since its last report on Dec. 22.
In addition, the Health Department has reported the county’s first flu-related death this season, which began Oct. 3 and ends May 21.
The latest 14 COVID-19 deaths include a woman in her 40s, a man in his 50s, four women in their 60s, four women in their 70s, two men in their 70s, and two women in their 80s. Two of those deaths were connected to long-term care facilities.
The flu death was a woman in her 30s.
The latest COVID-19 deaths brings the total number of county residents who have died from the virus to 392 since the pandemic began.
During the week of Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, the county had 1,701 new COVID-19 cases, up from the week of Dec. 12 to Dec. 18, when there were 909 new COVID-19 cases.
The Health Department did not provide COVID-19 data for the week of Dec. 19 to Dec. 25 because its offices were closed for the holiday.
“This is the highest case number in a week we have seen since the beginning of the pandemic,” said Sara Wilton, the Health Department’s epidemiologist.
Of the most recent 1,701 new cases, 63.14 percent was among unvaccinated people, and 36.86 percent was breakthrough cases, meaning cases among those who had been vaccinated, according to the Health Department.
“It is important to remember that although we are seeing more cases in vaccinated individuals, many only experience mild symptoms and do not require hospitalization or use of the emergency department,” she said. “Vaccination is our best prevention measure because it prevents severe illness and death.”
As of today (Jan. 6), the county had seen a total of 40,982 coronavirus cases since the first ones were reported in March 2020, the report said.
Red status
For the 24th consecutive week, the county is in the red status on the Health Department’s COVID-19 warning system.
The number of cases per 100,000 people for Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 was 756, which is up from the week of Dec. 12 to Dec. 18 when there were 404 new cases per 100,000 people, the Health Department reported.
The county’s percentage of positive COVID-19 tests for Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 was 38.51 percent, which was up significantly from the week of Dec. 12 to Dec. 18, when the positivity rate was 14.86 percent.
The Health Department uses the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) metrics to set the color level, and the community status is calculated using both the seven-day total of new cases per 100,000 residents and the percentage of positive tests. If the metrics have different color levels, the Health Department uses the higher color in the four-color system to determine the county color status.
Both metrics are in red, so the county remains in the red status.
COVID testing
Melissa Parmeley, clinical services manager at the Health Department, said the demand for COVID-19 testing has increased in the last month.
“I think it has to do with the current situation of the number of cases and individuals who are sick in our community,” she said.
Parmeley said the Health Department offers free rapid molecular tests. Anyone interested must fill out a form online at jeffcohealth.org/coronavirus-covid19. She said testing is held Monday through Thursday by appointment.
“We are able right now to keep up with the demand and that demand is increasing,” she said.
Other testing sites are listed on the Health Department webpage.
Parmeley said the state also holds free testing events, and those may be found at health.mo.gov/communitytest.
She said anyone with COVID-19 related symptoms should get tested so they know if they actually have the virus and can spread it to others.
Some of the symptoms include fever, cough, fatigue, headache, sore throat and shortness of breath.
Parmeley recommends those with mild symptoms look for testing options other than emergency rooms at hospitals, which can be overburdened.
According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force, area hospitals were treating a total of 1,158 COVID-positive patients, which is a new record since the start of the pandemic.
That data comes from several area hospital systems – BJC, Mercy, SSM Health and St. Luke’s.
Alisyn Beffa, chief nursing officer for Mercy Hospital Jefferson in Crystal City, said the hospital has an outpatient testing site outside the surgery center across the street from the hospital, but a physician order is required for testing.
“The ER should be utilized for emergent situations,” she said. “Anybody who has significant shortness of breath or life threatening situations of any kind should proceed to the ER for treatment. Examples of significant symptoms are light headedness, dizziness, passing out and chest pain. For simple testing, please proceed to an appropriate testing site.”
Parmeley said the CDC recommends people who have tested positive in the past 90 day not get tested.
“If you have a positive molecular test, the PCR test results can remain positive, pick up RNA of the virus for up to 90 days, so that may not be a good indication you have a current inflection,” she said.
Beffa said she hopes people will be patient with healthcare workers.
“We are working as hard as we can through this recent surge, and we appreciate everyone’s patience and support through this pandemic,” she said.
Flu
The Health Department reported 384 new flu cases since the last report on Dec. 22.
With the newly reported flu cases, the county has had a total of 728 cases this season, according to the Health Department.
Of the flu cases this season, 92 percent have been Type A and the rest Type B.
“The combination of potentially high influenza related hospitalizations and already high COVID-related hospitalizations threatens to burden the healthcare systems this winter,” Wilton said. “We cannot stress enough the importance of vaccinating against both viruses and continuing other prevention measures, such as masking and handwashing.”
She said the 2017-2018 season was a record-setting year in the county, with 3,982 cases and 16 deaths, according to the Health Department. The county’s 2019-2020 flu season was the second highest flu season on record, with a total of 2,932 cases, four flu-related deaths and one outbreak at a long-term care facility, according to the Health Department.
Vaccines
Health officials urge residents to get vaccinated against both COVID-19 and the flu and to take other steps to limit the spread of the both, including frequent hand-washing, wearing masks and social distancing.
As of Wednesday, 47.77 percent of Jefferson County residents was fully vaccinated against COVID-19, which was up slightly from the week of Dec. 12 to Dec. 18, when 47.04 percent was vaccinated, according to the Health Department.
The Health Department recommends anyone who is eligible for the booster to get one. The CDC recently recommended a Pfizer booster shot for children 12 and older.
As of Wednesday (Jan. 5), 14.64 percent of people had received their booster vaccine, according to the Health Department.
People may sign up for a vaccine appointment through the Health Department by going to the state vaccine Navigator website at covidvaccine.mo.gov/navigator. Or they may call 877-435-8411. Or, to find another local vaccine site, visit vaccinefinder.org.
