Active COVID-19 cases continued their resurgence in Moniteau County during the past week, making July the worst month since January in terms of total cases added to the county's overall tally.
The county's daily case count, per the Moniteau County Health Center's COVID-19 dashboard, hasn't dipped below 30 since July 6 and peaked at 48 last Friday. As of press time Tuesday, active cases stand at 44. The total case count since March of 2020 - despite passing 2,000 just a few weeks ago - is already past 2,100, as more than 125 new cases have been recorded in July.
The sharp jump comes after a period of relative quiet in the county for much of the year so far. Less than 100 new cases appeared among Moniteau County citizens from February to May combined. A small jump of 42 cases added in June - most during the final week of the month - has now turned into a cluster that, by the end of July, could rival the 182 cases added last January, per the Health Center's data.
The Health Center continues to urge citizens to get vaccinated, citing it as the best way to prevent serious illness, hospitalization or death due to COVID, along with offering protection against the Delta variant and other strains. Yesterday, the Health Center hosted a vaccination clinic at Fortuna Baptist Church, and public health officials continue to administer vaccines at their California office. Those interested in receiving the vaccine can call the Health Center at 573-796-3412.
The county's vaccination rate has only ticked up slightly, according to data available on the state's COVID vaccination dashboard. An estimated 27.6 percent of Moniteau County's population has initiated vaccination as of Tuesday, and the total population share that's completed vaccination is still below 25 percent.
Along with getting vaccinated, the Health Center continues to encourage the following measures to stop the spread of COVID: wear a mask; stay six feet away from others who aren't members of one's household when in public; avoid crowds and poorly-ventilated areas; and wash one's hands often.