Missouri’s 4th COVID-19 case, in Henry Co., previously treated at Clinton hospital
State health officials have advised a hospital in Clinton, Missouri, to stop admitting new patients after a person hospitalized there later tested positive for the novel coronavirus at another facility.
The case, which is one of the two announced by Missouri Gov. Mike Parson Friday, is the first “presumptive positive” in Henry County and one of four in the state thus far. The test results have been sent to the Centers for Disease Control for confirmation.
In a news release the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said the patient was hospitalized at Golden Valley Hospital before being transferred on March 8 to another facility where they were tested for COVID-19.
The hospital is being placed on diversion for emergency services. Patients and visitors to the hospital will be contacted by health officials “as available information warrants,” the release said.
“We are working closely with our state partners as well as our local hospital to quickly identify and respond to anyone who may need to self-isolate due to close contact with this individual,” Peggy Bowles, administrator of the Henry County Health Center said in the release. “It is vital that we act quickly with protective measures.”
The age and gender of the patient was not announced Saturday.
The case, and a second case in St. Louis County, were announced alongside a state of emergency in Missouri Friday. Parson said the state of emergency would provide the state with more flexibility to use resources to respond to the evolving situation.
On Thursday, Parson announced that a Springfield resident in their 20s who had traveled abroad was the state’s second “presumptive positive” case. The first case was a St. Louis County woman.
Parson said both of those are were “travel related cases,” but would not specify if that is true with the two new cases.
The release said there have been 94 coronavirus tests performed so far, with 90 coming back negative. The state is working with the University of Missouri and Washington University in St. Louis to expand coronavirus testing capabilities, he said.
“We are committed to assisting our local partners in Henry County through this process,” Dr. Randall Williams, director of DHSS, said in the release. “It is very important that anyone identified as a close contact of this patient follow necessary precautions to limit any potential spread of infection.”
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly declared a state of emergency Thursday following the death of a 70-year-old man in Wyandotte County who was posthumously diagnosed with coronavirus. She said the declaration authorizes the use of state resources and personnel to assist with response and recovery operations in affected counties that meet certain criteria.
There have been six cases reported in Kansas thus far including the death in Wyandotte County. Four of the cases were reported in Johnson County. One was reported in a Wichita hospital.
This story was originally published March 14, 2020 at 12:09 PM.
