Missouri has reached a grim new milestone in its battle with the coronavirus. The state's COVID-19 death toll rose by 17 on Tuesday, surpassing the 1,000 mark amid a resurgence of the disease that has seen cases skyrocket in recent weeks.
The state health department also added more than 500 confirmed cases to the statewide tally, raising it to 21,551 since the pandemic started. The number of confirmed cases has quickly increased since the state reopened for business on June 16, swelling by 10.9% in just the last seven days, health officials said.
Despite the worsening situation, the University of Missouri said Monday that it is preparing to welcome back students for on-campus classes this fall.
