Moniteau County records 4th December COVID-19 death

Moniteau County reported another death of a resident due to the coronavirus on the final day of 2020.

The person who died was a resident in their 80s, according to the Moniteau County Health Center.

The death reported Thursday marks the fourth in Moniteau County this month and the 19th in the county since the start of the pandemic.

Moniteau County will enter the new year carrying 51 active cases of COVID-19 - four of which are currently hospitalized - among members of the community, as of 12:30 p.m. Thursday. A total of 1,674 cases have been recorded among county residents since the start of the pandemic.

The Health Center continues to urge people to take actions to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including avoiding close contact with people who are sick; avoiding touching one's eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands; washing hands with soap and water regularly; cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces regularly; staying home if one feels sick; and adhering to proper social distancing by remaining 6 feet away from others and wearing a facial covering when engaging in tasks away from home.

Symptoms of COVID-19 may include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For more information about COVID-19 in Missouri and what can be done on an individual level to help stop the spread, visit oneforallmo.com. Additional information about COVID-19 can be found at health.mo.gov/coronavirus or cdc.gov/coronavirus.

Missouri operates a statewide COVID-19 hotline at 877-435-8411 from 7 a.m.-9 p.m. seven days a week.