The White House Task Force Report for the week ending November 8 indicates Missouri remains in the red zone for new cases. Missouri continues to experience high levels of community transmission and our test positivity continues to set new records, currently above 15%. The attached table details the specific data elements and their thresholds to determine the state/county categories.
Cases, hospitalizations, and fatalities continue to increase in Missouri and nationwide. As cold weather settles in and individuals continue to gather-many indoors, without masks or proper social distancing – Missouri and the nation is experiencing an exponential increase in new cases. Per the White House Task Force, all communities, experiencing high volumes of new cases and high test positivity rate (such as Missouri) should take the following actions:
- Do not gather without a mask with individuals living outside of your household.
- Always wear a mask in public places.
- Stop all gatherings beyond immediate household until cases and test positivity decrease significantly.
Based on this methodology, for the week ending November 8th:
- 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 November 8th.
- Missouri had the 16th highest rate of new cases per 100,000 population in the US with 345 new cases per 100,000 population last week. The US rate was 209 cases per 100,000 population.
- This data is significantly worse than our prior ranking and new case rate reported last week (ranked 19th with 257 new cases per 100,000 population).
- Louis County, Jackson County, and St. Charles County had the highest total cases for Missouri over the last three weeks representing 32% of new cases in Missouri.
- 96% of all counties in Missouri have high to moderate levels of community transmission (red, orange, or yellow zone) up from 91% the prior period.
- 86% of Missouri counties have high levels of community transmission (red zone)—up from 76% reported the prior period.
- Missouri remains in the red zone for test positivity with a rate of 16.9%, up significantly from 13.3% the prior period.
- Missouri has the 8th highest test positivity rate in the US. The national positivity rate was 8.4%–up from the 6.7% reported the prior period.
- To be in the green zone with controlled community spread, Missouri would need a test positivity rate of less than 5%.
- Missouri remains in the red zone for deaths for the week ending November 8th. Missouri reported 207 deaths during this timeframe and a rate of 3.4 per 100,000 population. This is down from the prior period – 232 deaths and a rate of 3.8 per 100,000 population.
- Hospitalizations continue to be a concern in Missouri and increased significantly from the prior period. Hospital capacity is a real concern. Between October 31- Nov 6, on average 232 patients with confirmed COVID-19 and 225 patients with suspected COVID-19 were reported as newly admitted each day to Missouri hospitals (prior period was 182 confirmed and 217 suspected).
- On average, more than 95% of Missouri hospitals reported either confirmed or suspected patients admitted each day during this period.
- Missouri had the 16th highest rate of new cases per 100,000 population in the US with 345 new cases per 100,000 population last week. The US rate was 209 cases per 100,000 population.
High community transmission of COVID-19 continues to be observed in every region in the state with 26 metro areas and 99 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 23 metros and 87counties the prior period. Please note, localities with fewer than 10 cases in the 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. With the unrelenting spread and increase in hospitalizations, individuals should also avoid gatherings with people outside of their household – especially during the holiday season. These steps are crucial to stopping the spread of COVID-19 within our communities.
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 (including holiday celebrations), even 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 or someone in your family are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, you should stay home and contact a healthcare provider regarding testing or medical care.