THURSDAY UPDATES: Columbia Public Schools COVID-19 case rate hits online-only range

The seven-day positivity rate — a measure of the percentage of people tested for COVID-19 who get a positive result — dropped to 12.1 percent Thursday from 12.2 percent the day before.

State leaders say more young people are testing positive for the virus. While they might be less vulnerable to the greatest dangers of COVID-19, some still have serious complications and all of them can spread the virus to people who are more vulnerable, state health director Dr. Randall Williams said Wednesday.

The average age of people testing positive for COVID-19 over the past seven days is 40, according to the state’s online COVID-19 dashboard.

The number of people in Missouri’s hospitals with COVID-19 went back above 900 Monday, the last day for which the figure was available. The number was at 902.

The Missouri Hospital Association released regional information about hospitalizations and infections in Missouri late Wednesday. The reports cover the week that ended Saturday.

The central region report shows a positivity rate of 14.8 percent, up from 10.3 percent in the last report. However, the report showed tests decreased in the region.

The region’s hospitals had 14 percent capacity available and 37 percent of ICU capacity available.

The state dashboard shows rapid growth in cases in several Mid-Missouri counties. Boone County is among the state’s top counties for new cases over the past 14 days and Howard County has entered the top 10 of counties for fastest case growth by percentage.

Pettis and Saline counties continue to lead the region in rate of cases per 100,000 population.

Cooper County reports third COVID-19 death

A third Cooper County resident has died from COVID-19.

The Cooper County Public Health Center announced the death in a news release. The person died Saturday, the health center said.

The health center said the person was in their 80s but released no other information in order to protect the person’s privacy.

The health center in its announcement pleaded for the community to take precautions against the virus so it does not spread to more vulnerable people such as those who died.

Cooper County reported 213 cases Thursday with 29 of them active. The county has reported 15 new cases in the past week.

Blair Oaks student tests positive

A high school junior at Blair Oaks has tested positive for COVID-19, the school said in a news release.

The student was at school Monday but not Tuesday and Wednesday, the district said. The district said no one at school was identified as a close contact but that the district contacted families of students who had been near the infected student for less than 15 minutes at lunch.

Extra disinfection and sanitation was done at the high school after the positive test, the district said.

University of Missouri postpones family weekend

UPDATE 1:30 P.M.: University of Missouri officials postponed its annual family weekend because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

An announcement sent out Thursday afternoon from MU Students Affairs Vice Chancellor Bill Stackman said the event may be rescheduled for the spring semester.

“Please understand that this was not an easy decision to make, but we need to do all we can to protect you, your families and all members of the Mizzou community,” Stackman said in the release.

It included running family weekend events would run in opposition to university policies after it limited all events to 20 or fewer people.

MU’s website said the tradition was scheduled for Sept. 25-27. The website included events were subject to change because of the pandemic.

As of Wednesday, 263 students have tested positive for COVID-19 with 228 having active cases, the university’s coronavirus tracing website said.

Employee at Cole County Courthouse tests positive for COVID-19

UPDATE 1:15 P.M.: The Cole County Courthouse moved to a lower phase of reopening after an employee tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday.

The news release posted on the county’s website said the 19th Circuit Court has returned to the first phase of reopening.

To reduce coronavirus exposure to workers, attorneys and others, the court will prioritize certain court hearings until it moves to the next phase of reopening:

• Bond and release hearings for adult defendants.
• Detention and protective custody hearings for juveniles.
• Orders of protection cases.
• Emergency child custody cases.
• Petitions for temporary restraining orders or other forms of injunctive relief.
• Emergency mental health orders.
• Emergency guardianship and conservatorship proceedings in probate.
• Proceedings directly related to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
• Oral arguments regarding time-sensitive matters which cannot be handled by phone or video conference.

Court officials said most court cases will be continued until a future date.

According to an order posted on the Missouri court system’s website, occupancy limits will be in place inside the courtroom, all visitors and employees will be screened for COVID-19 and friends and family members will not be allowed into hearings without specific permission.

It included the courthouse will be under phase one restrictions for at least 14 days.

The courthouse was on the third phase of reopening before the employee tested positive.

Van-Far schools move learning online after student tests positive

UPDATE 12 P.M.: In-person classes at the Van-Far School District in Audrain County have been canceled for the next two weeks after a high school student tested positive for COVID-19.

The district with about 600 students will dismiss at 1 p.m. Thursday and start virtual instruction Friday, Superintendent John Fortney said. Classes began Tuesday.

Fortney said contact tracing revealed so many potential exposures from the asymptomatic student — both with other students and staff members — that having in-person classes while those contacts are quarantined would not be possible.

Now the district will have to try out the switch to all-online instruction and the new tools to make it possible.

“This is one of those things that I think you’re hopeful but you really won’t know until you put the car on the road and find out how it runs,” Fortney said of the sudden switch to all-online learning.

He said the main challenge facing the rural district is the lack of internet connection in many areas. Fortney said the district is working to provide solutions for those students with CARES Act funding.

All students K-12 have iPads, he said.

All student activities are canceled, including the Van-Far High School football team’s game against rival Bowling Green that had been set for Friday. A weekend softball tournament is also canceled, Fortney said.

The plan is for students to return to class on Sept. 10. District facilities will undergo a deep cleaning in the meantime, Fortney said.

University of Missouri to start processing COVID-19 tests at new lab

UPDATE 10:40 A.M.: University of Missouri Health Care will start processing COVID-19 tests at its testing site, according to an email sent out Thursday morning.

The release from MU Health Care spokesman Eric Maze said samples will no longer be sent to third-party companies.

A new lab inside the Mizzou North building, where the testing site is located, will be able to process nearly 1,500 tests each day, the announcement said.

It included patients will receive a notification as soon as the test has been processed, typically within 24 hours.

The testing site is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays, according to the release.

Missouri unemployment claims fall after increase week before

The Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations said initial unemployment claims fell last week after an increase the week before.

Unemployment data posted on the labor department’s website said 9,251 filed for first-time jobless benefits for the week ending on Aug. 22.

At least 1,361 fewer people filed unemployment claims after claims increased by more than 1,600 for the week ending Aug. 15.

According to the state labor department, Thursday’s volume of claims was about 250 more than the lowest reported during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the pandemic started, 787,299 residents have filed initial unemployment claims.

US Labor Department data said first-time jobless benefit claims were slightly higher than 1 million over the last week.