The Moniteau County Health Center reported another coronavirus death Tuesday morning, the 21st in the county since the start of the pandemic.
The deceased individual was a resident in their 70s.
After a period where active cases declined into the 30s, the past two weeks have seen the case count rise in Moniteau County yet again. The county's one-day active case count peaked at 85 a week ago and now stands at 63 as of press time Tuesday. Moniteau County's total cases since the start of the pandemic continue to climb toward 1,800, currently sitting at 1,790. Five individuals are currently hospitalized for their symptoms.
The Health Center last Friday posted a link to a survey for individuals who wish to be added to a wait list and be notified when the COVID-19 vaccine is available for Moniteau County residents. The Health Center stated the supply of the vaccine is limited and being allocated to front line health care workers and long-term care facilities for now. The first phase of distribution, the Health Center said, is likely to take a few months, but Moniteau County public health officials expect the vaccine supply to increase over time and that all adults should be able to be vaccinated during 2021.
The survey can be found at www.surveymonkey.com/r/QDZT8B6 or by scanning a QR code included on the Health Center's Facebook post.
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.