Missouri reports more than 6,300 new COVID cases, a record

ST. LOUIS — On the day after St. Louis area health care leaders strongly urged Gov. Mike Parson to take bolder action to stop the spread of the coronavirus, Missouri reported its biggest one-day increase in COVID-19 cases.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services on Saturday reported 6,346 more people had tested positive, bringing the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic to 235,722. The death toll rose by 14 to 3,373.

Hospitalizations across the state also hit a record of 2,523 on Friday, an increase of about 23% in one week. The positive test rate, a key measure showing how widespread the virus is, was 24.3%.

Missouri is now seeing 28,000 new cases per week, equivalent to a seven-day average of 4,000 new cases, DHSS said Saturday in a news release. During the previous week, the rate was 2,800 new cases per day.

Read more: https://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/coronavirus/missouri-reports-more-than-6-300-new-covid-cases-a-record/article_8399ae9c-40b9-5081-afd8-0a61a22aae85.html