Things aren’t looking good for Missouri in the latest COVID-19 data, with our state case numbers rising a shocking 93.8 percent in just over a week.
In the week that ended Sunday, June 13, there were 4,378 COVID-19 cases in Missouri. That’s a sharp increase over the previous week in which there were 2,259 cases in the state.
A USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows that while Missouri accounts for only 1.99 percent of the United States' population, last week the state had 4.41 percent of the cases in the whole country.
There has never been a statewide mask mandate in Missouri. Mask mandates in St. Louis, St. Louis County and Kansas City ended a month ago today. Missouri cities of Springfield and Columbia also ended their local mask mandates in May.
While infections are far lower than they were at the height of the pandemic and the wide availability of the vaccine is encouraging to public health experts, there has been a surge of cases in some parts of the state. In terms of overall cases, St. Louis County has seen the second-biggest surge in the state, with hundreds of new cases reported last week.
From the Columbia Daily Tribune:
“Adding the most new cases overall were Greene County, with 513 cases; St. Louis County, with 349 cases; and Jackson County, with 228. Weekly case counts rose in 90 counties from the previous week.”
USA Today reports that Missouri is one of eight states that saw a rise in infection rates in their seven-day rolling averages and that seven of those states (including Missouri) have “recorded vaccination rates that are lower than the U.S. average of 43% fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”
Data from Johns Hopkins University shows that Missouri has administered 4,837,782 total doses resulting in 43.3 percent of the state being at least partially vaccinated. Missouri ranks 37th among states in which people have received at least one shot.
The Johns Hopkins data also shows that there have been 613,226 cases of coronavirus in Missouri since the start of the pandemic and 9,618 deaths from the disease in the state.
Free COVID-19 vaccines are available in Missouri for all people age twelve and older. To find one for yourself or your loved one, visit the Missouri Vaccine Navigator at CovidVaccine.MO.gov or call the COVID-19 Hotline at 877-435-8411.
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