8 COVID-19 Cases In Missouri, 3 In St. Louis: Updates

ST. LOUIS, MO — State health officials say eight people in Missouri have now tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, including the first case in St. Louis City.

The first case in the state, a woman in her 20s who recently returned from studying abroad in Italy was identified in St. Louis County last week. A springfield man in his 20s who recently traveled to Austria followed on March 12.

The St. Louis County Health Department says the state's third case was related to domestic travel and involves a St. Louis County resident between 50 and 60 years old. That case is unrelated to the first identified in St. Louis County.

The fourth case in Missouri was a person in Henry County who was hospitalized at Golden Valley Memorial Hospital in Clinton before being transferred to another facility on March 8, state health officials said. A fifth case was confirmed Saturday in Greene County. Officials say that case is also travel-related. The sixth case, also in Greene County, was confirmed Sunday, but no details were immediately available.

On Monday, state health officials confirmed two more cases, a third in Greene County and the first in St. Louis City.

The case in St. Louis City was announced at a press conference Monday evening. Frederick Echols, the director of the St. Louis Health Department, said the city's first case was a student in their 20s who also recently returned from studying abroad in a county with ongoing transmission of the virus.

The student sought medical attention almost immediately, but a diagnosis was delayed because he or she did not meet the CDC's guidelines for testing, Echols said.

Officials at St. Louis University confirmed the student is enrolled there. They are being quarantined at home.

St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson said local health officials need more test kits and more lab capacity to meet growing demand as the virus spreads. According to health officials, 215 individuals have been tested for the coronavirus statewide as of Saturday evening. Of those tests, 207 have been negative. Eight have been positive. So far, all of the tests have been conducted by the Missouri State Public Health Laboratory, which is no longer required to send positive samples to the CDC for confirmation, state health officials said. Private testing is expected to be available soon.

Gov. Mike Parson declared a state of emergency across Missouri Friday evening, calling it "the next appropriate step to protect public health."

St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson declared a public health emergency Thursday. Earlier on Friday, St. Louis County Executive Sam Page declared a countywide state of emergency. And President Donald Trump declared a national emergency Friday afternoon.

"I want to be clear that the declaration has not been made because we feel that our current health care system is overwhelmed or unprepared," the governor said, adding that the state would partner with Washington University and the University in Missouri to expand testing capabilities.

School officials in St. Louis, St. Louis County and the Archdiocese of St. Louis said in a joint statement Sunday evening that most St. Louis-area schools will close Wednesday and remain closed until at least April 3.

State and local officials have banned gatherings of more than 50 people, following guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many area restaurants are closing or transitioning to take-out service only, and some grocery stores have announced reduced hours to allow for cleaning and to keep up with increased demand. Many stores are also limiting customers to one package of toilet paper and hand sanitizer per visit.

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Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called SARS-Cov-2, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19, the illness caused by SARS-Cov-2, struck the U.S. on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now being spread from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 and no antiviral treatment.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands, wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

For more information, or if you develop upper respiratory symptoms, including cough or shortness of breath, or a fever over 100.4 degrees, call the state's 24-hour hotline at 877-435-8411 or visit the state's COVID-19 website. St. Louis County residents can also visit stlcorona.com or call the county's coronavirus hotline at 314-615-2660. City residents can call the St. Louis City Department of Health at 314-657-1499, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or visit the city's coronavirus website.

This story is developing. Check back for updates.