Pettis County added 906 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Monday, bringing the total number of cases to 10,590, according to the Pettis County Health Center.
This is more cases than the previous record month of November 2020 with 1,389 and a positivity rate of 35.45%
“The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Service website is reporting Pettis County has a positivity rate of 39.4% for the past seven days, which is an increase from 30.5% for the previous week with PCR testing,” the Pettis County COVID-19 Task Force briefing stated on Monday. “The case count per 100,000 for the past seven days is 1,512/100,000, which makes Pettis County the sixth highest case rate county in the state. Saline County is first. This week there were 1,724 PCR tests and 858 antigen tests for a total of 2582. Last week there were 2,041 tests. Locally calculated data indicates the positivity rate for Jan. 1-7 was 21.59% with a rate of 869/100,000. The positivity rate for Jan. 8-14 was 32.91% with a rate of 1,887/100,000.”
The vaccine breakthrough for the week ending Jan. 23 is 285 out of 838 cases counted for a breakthrough rate of 34% with 66% being unvaccinated.
Influenza cases continue to increase. There are approximately 481 cases for the season so far. During the entire 2020-21 influenza season there were less than 10 reported cases.
As of Friday, there were 3,610 hospitalized in Missouri with COVID as compared to 3507 hospitalized with COVID last week. There are 681 people in ICU as compared to 658 people in ICU last week.
There are 22 individuals hospitalized at Bothwell Regional Health Center as compared to 19 last week. There are two patients on a ventilator. Seventy-three percent of the patients were not vaccinated.
The DHSS website reports 113 deaths in Pettis County with a confirmed PCR test and 20 deaths with a positive antigen test. This is an increase of one since last week. The Health Center received reports of five Pettis county residents who have COVID listed as a cause of death.
The briefing states finding a bed in a referral hospital is difficult due to a surge in cases and staffing shortages.
Approximately 46.6% of the population of Pettis County residents have started vaccination. According to the state website, 19,714 Pettis County residents have started vaccination and 17,519 are considered to have had at least two doses, which is approximately 41.4% of the population. Pettis County is falling behind the state rate of 62.3% who have started vaccination and 55% have received at least two doses. The state is reporting 73.3% of the population over 18 has started and 65.1% have received at least two doses. For Pettis County, 58.1% of the population 18 and older have started vaccination (18,519) and 52% (16,572) have received at least two doses. According to the DHSS website, 15.8% (1,192) of 5-17-year-olds have started vaccination and 12.5% (946) have received two doses. For the 65 and older age group, 79.2% (5,740) have started vaccination and 72.1% (5,224) have received at least two doses.
Vaccines are available through Pettis County Health Center, Katy Trail Community Health and Bothwell Regional Health Center. All vaccines are free. Pettis County Health Center provides vaccines for homebound individuals. Call 660-827-1130 to make arrangements.
Pettis County Health Center has regular walk-in clinics from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays, from 8:30 a.m. to noon Thursdays and from noon to 3 p.m. Fridays.
Bothwell offered tips for where to seek care for COVID-19: For mild or moderate symptoms (fever, cough, tiredness, sore throat, loss of taste or smell or headache) contact your primary care provider for care (open Monday through Friday) or visit the Bothwell Walk-In Clinic at 3700 W. 10th St. The Walk-In Clinic is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. For severe symptoms (shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, chest pain, loss of speech or mobility, confusion, high fever, or inability to eat or drink), go to the Emergency Department. Do not visit the ED for COVID-19 testing if you have mild symptoms or only need a test for work, school or travel.
The wait time for results from standard PCR COVID-19 tests has been extended to four or five days because Bothwell is sending these tests to an external lab due to widespread supply shortages. Rapid antigen tests are being used when patients need to be seen by a provider for symptoms at the Bothwell Walk-In clinic or at other clinics.
Katy Trail Community Health is providing Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines to community members from 1 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays at 816 Westwood Drive. Visit www.katyhealth.org to schedule an appointment.
The KTCH acute care clinic is open at its 821 Westwood Drive site for residents to be tested and seen by a clinician if necessary. Testing appointments are also available online. It is open Monday through Saturday.
