Latest local, regional and state Covid-19 news
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Missouri rose by 38 Sunday night, including at least five cases tied to one suburban St. Louis preschool and evidence of community transmission in one county. The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, was up to 128, according to statistics released by state and county health officials, an increase from 75 on Saturday. The new cases reported in a release Sunday night by the St. Louis County Health Department indicated that one of the new cases involved someone between the ages of 10 and 19. Mo Department of Health and Senior Services has notified Camden County Health Department of a Positive Covid-19 case in a Camden County resident. This case is not related to travel. The investigation is underway. Close contacts will be notified and asked to self-isolate and monitor symptoms for 14 days.
The General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital reported March 21, that a Soldier at Fort Leonard Wood tested positive for COVID-19. This is the first positive case of U.S. Army personnel at the installation. The Soldier had recently traveled to New York and Florida and upon returning to Fort Leonard Wood was immediately screened at Harper In-Processing and placed in isolation. The Soldier remains in isolation on the installation under medical care in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guidelines. Military and local health professionals are in the process of tracing and contacting people with whom the Soldier might have had contact with over the past two weeks.
Health officials also said that in St. Louis County, where 55 cases have been confirmed, there is evidence of “community-spread,” where it’s not clear how an infected person contracted the virus and its origin can’t be traced. At least five cases are tied to Temple Israel’s preschool in Creve Coeur. The synagogue said in a statement late Saturday that a total of four teachers have now tested positive for COVID-19. A parent of a child at the preschool has also tested positive. All five are either recovering at home or are no longer symptomatic, according to the synagogue. The synagogue closed its schools for the remainder of the academic year, which was scheduled to end May 15. St. Louis and St. Louis County will be under mandatory stay-at-home orders, effective today (Monday), and a similar order in the Kansas City area starts Tuesday. Illinois, New York and California are implementing statewide stay-at-home orders, calling on residents to remain in their homes unless they have vital reasons to go out.
Anheuser-Busch employees will be making hand sanitizer in addition to Budweiser, Bud Light and other beers. The company said on Twitter that it will use its supply and logistics network to begin producing and distributing bottles of sanitizer “to accommodate the growing needs across the United States.”
The St. Louis Blues said a relative of a team employee tested positive and is in isolation with family. The hockey team said all Blues staff who may have had contact with the employee have been notified.
A state representative with the virus, Democrat Joe Runions of Grandview, said in a statement that his condition is improving but progress is slow. He also said his doctors are “deeply concerned” about the potential shortage of supplies.
To protect patients and families during the national coronavirus containment effort, Lake Regional Hospital is not allowing visitors, except in a few specific situations.
Lake Regional has eliminated all visitations except the following:
• Pediatric patients (1 visitor)
• Family Birth Center patients (1 visitor)
• End of life circumstances (1 visitor)
All other visitors will be asked to leave the hospital.
In a continuing effort to continue caring for your health care needs, while improving social distancing and the conservation of personal protective equipment, the General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital on Fort Leonard Wood is set to make the following changes beginning Monday.
For visitation, the Hospital will only allow one visitor per patient and that visitor will be the same person during the patient’s stay.
For prescriptions it is now mandatory for patients to either call the refill line at 800.245.1953 or 573.596.0128, or login to the TRICARE Online Patient Portal at https://www.tricareonline.com The automated service will give you the time and date to pick up your refill. Refills will only be picked up at the Main Exchange Pharmacy at this time. For those 65 and older, a pharmacist will be available for counseling and hand delivery of medications within the Primary Care Clinic from 7:30 to 10 a.m. to alleviate their need to be in a pharmacy waiting area. All patients and visitors must enter the hospital through the main hospital entrance, primary care entrance or emergency room entrance. The main hospital and emergency room entrances are open 24/7 and the Primary Care Clinic (middle door) entrance is open from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Patients with allergy and infusion needs will continue to be seen on a scheduled basis.
The governor and agency heads delivered a press briefing this weekend – on the latest moves to help Missourians through the COVID-19 crisis.
