Over the past week, COVID-19 cases have continued to trend downward, dipping below 200 active cases Monday for the first time since last summer.
The Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services Department reported seven new cases Monday, bringing the total number of active cases in the county to 174.
The last time Boone County had fewer than 200 positive cases was July 31, when the number was 187. In comparison, there were 359 active cases and 10 new cases Feb. 8. Additionally, the five-day average Monday was 22, down from 39 on Feb. 8 and 52 on Feb. 1.
The number of people being tested had decreased as well, with only 24 tests reported Saturday and six tests reported Sunday, as opposed to 82 and 47 performed Saturday and Sunday of last weekend, respectively.
Several testing sites were closed over the weekend because of inclement weather, including MU Health Care and Boone Hospital Center. Hospitals in Boone County were in the green status zone Monday, which means they are operating within licensed bed capacity and accepting patient transfers. There were 42 total inpatients positive with COVID-19 in Boone County hospitals Monday evening. Of those, 14 were Boone County residents. There were 12 COVID-19 patients in the ICU and 8 on ventilators.
Truman Veterans’ Hospital had four inpatients with COVID-19, spokesperson Jeffrey Hoelscher said Monday. Over the last two weeks, the hospital had 15 inpatients positive with COVID-19 on both Feb. 1 and Feb. 8. MU Health Care reported four inpatients positive with COVID-19 and 26 pending results.
MU reported zero new cases since Thursday. MU had nine active student cases and nine staff cases Monday.