FYI

From: Bock, Nora <Nora.Bock@dmh.mo.gov>
Sent: Thursday, October 22, 2020 7:52 AM
To: Nora Bock <Nora.Bock@dmh.mo.gov>
Subject: MO COVID-19 Update October 21, 2020 - Update and Reminders for Downstream Providers
Importance: High

The White House Task Force Report for the week ending October 18 indicates Missouri remains in the red zone for new cases.  Missouri continues to have high levels of community transmission and our test positivity remains high.  The attached table details the specific data elements and their thresholds to determine the state/county categories.

Based on this methodology, for the week ending October 18^th:

• Missouri remains in the red zone for new cases, meaning Missouri reported more than 101 new cases per 100,000 population for the week ending October 18^th. 
• Missouri had the 10^th highest rate of new cases per 100,000 population in the US with 216 new cases per 100,000 population last week.  The national rate per 100,000 population was 117.
• Missouri has experienced and increase in both new cases and test positivity over the last week.
• Jackson County, St. Louis County, and Greene County reported the highest total new cases last week accounting for 27.6% of the new cases in Missouri. 
• 88% of all counties in Missouri have moderate or high levels of community transmission (yellow, orange, or red) up from 80% reported the prior week.
• 62% of Missouri counties have high levels of community transmission (red)—up from 47% reported the week prior.
• Missouri is in the red zone for test positivity with a rate of 10.3%, up from the 9% reported the prior week.
• Missouri had the 8^th highest positivity rate in the US.  The national positivity rate was 5.4%--down slightly from the 5.2% reported the prior week.
• Missouri is also in the red zone for deaths for the week ending October 18^th.  Missouri reported 163 deaths during this timeframe and a rate of 2.7 per 100,00 population.
• Missouri had the 10^th highest death rate per 100,000 population.  The US death rate per 100,000 was 1.5 (yellow zone).
• Hospitalizations continue to be a concern in Missouri.  Between October 10 to October 16, on average 173 patients with confirmed COVID-19 and 221 patients with suspected COVID-19 were reported as newly admitted each day to Missouri hospitals (the prior week it was 150 confirmed and 217 suspected).
• On average more than 95% of hospitals reported either new confirmed or new suspected patients each day during this time period.

High community transmission of COVID-19 continues to be observed in every region in the state with 17 metro areas and 71 counties falling in the red zone for new cases over the last three weeks (listed below, sorted by the number of new cases in the last three weeks, from highest to lowest)—up from 13 metros and 54 counties last week.  Please note, localities with fewer than 10 cases last week  have been excluded. 

High levels of community transmission are especially prevalent in smaller urban counties and rural counties in Missouri.  Given the severity of COVID-19 throughout Missouri, we strongly encourage all Missourians and all essential businesses to wear masks, practice social distancing, increase hand washing, seek testing when needed, stay home if ill and comply with quarantine protocols as appropriate.  These steps are crucial to stopping the spread of COVID-19 within our communities.

Red Zone Municipalities (based on case growth over the last three weeks)
Springfield	Jefferson City	Joplin	Columbia	St. Joseph	Cape Girardeau
Lebanon	Poplar Bluff	West Plains	Warrensburg	Branson	Sikeston
Rolla	Moberly	Fort Leonard Wood	Hannibal	Quincy*
Red Zone Counties (based on case growth over the last three weeks)
Greene	St. Charles	Jasper	Jefferson	Boone	Cole
Cape Girardeau	Buchanan	Franklin	Clay	Newton	Camden
Laclede	Howell	Webster	Johnson	Callaway	Taney
Scott	Butler	Phelps	Miller	Stoddard	Morgan
Randolph	Pulaski	Osage	Texas	Barton	Washington
Platte	Clinton	Stone	Moniteau	Marion	New Madrid
Andrew	Pemiscot	Henry	Crawford	Cooper	Perry
Vernon	Bates	Warren	DeKalb	Shannon	Oregon
Dent	Daviess	Hickory	Bollinger	Mississippi	Sullivan
Ste. Genevieve	Lewis	Ripley	Caldwell	Harrison	Gentry
Carter	Gasconade	Ozark	Maries	Iron	Ralls
Clark	Monroe	Scotland	Reynolds	Putnam

Orange Zone Municipalities (based on case growth over the last three weeks)
St. Louis	Kansas City	Farmington	Maryville	Marshall	Kirksville
Orange Zone Counties (based on case growth over the last three weeks)
Jackson	Christian	St. Francois	Cass	Lawrence	Lincoln
Wright	Lafayette	Nodaway	Saline	Adair	Dallas
Dade	Ray	Pike	Carroll	St. Clair	Montgomery

Yellow Zone Municipalities (based on case growth over the last three weeks)
Sedalia	Mexico
Yellow Zone Counties (based on case growth over the last three weeks)
St. Louis	St. Louis City	Polk	Pettis	Barry	Madison
Benton	McDonald	Audrain	Cedar	Wayne	Shelby

All Missourians and businesses, but especially those in locations listed above, are strongly encouraged to practice the following:

• Wear a mask if you will be in public.
• CDC recommends wearing a mask and maintaining six feet of distance from others.
• Practice social distancing at home.
• Limit trips to stores and avoid dining in at restaurants.  Avoid large gatherings, even with those with family that do not live in your home. 
• Practice social distancing at work.
• Remain six feet away from individuals as much as possible.  Do not congregate in groups for meetings, lunches, breaks, or after work.
• Practice good hand hygiene frequently.
• Wash hands frequently or use hand sanitizer when you cannot wash your hands.
• Increase efforts to clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces.
• Wipe down door handles, phones, remotes, etc. with regular household cleaner.
• Know the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and be alert for symptoms in yourself, family and friends.
• Symptoms may include fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of taste/smell, chills, headache, fatigue, etc.
• If you are someone in your family are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, you should stay home and contact a healthcare provider regarding testing or medical care.

Please wear a mask!

Nora K. Bock, MS, LPC

Deputy Director for Community Treatment

Division of Behavioral Health

573.751.8104

nora.bock@dmh.mo.gov

For DBH specific COVID-19 Information: MoHelpNow

Stressed by COVID-19? Access these resources for your emotional health: https://dmh.mo.gov/disaster-services/covid-19-information

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