Missouri’s fifth coronavirus case is in Greene County, governor says on Saturday
Five people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Missouri as of Saturday, and the latest finding marks the second case out of the southwest part of the state.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced Saturday night that one person tested positive for COVID-19 in Greene County, which reported its first case on March 12.
A statement from the Springfield-Greene County Health Department said it would notify people who have had contact with the patient, “who was a traveler.” It said it was working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to provide guidance to individuals who may have had close contact with the patient.
Further information has not yet been released about the patient, including their gender and age.
Along with the announcement of a fifth case, Parson also said that as of Saturday, the state laboratory will no longer be required to send the test results to the CDC for confirmation. Findings from the state laboratory will be considered “final,” the governor’s Twitter post stated.
According to Parson’s tweet, the state has tested 127 people for the virus. Five have tested positive: two in Greene County, two in St. Louis County and one in Henry County.
Parson led a news conference one week ago in St. Louis County where officials announced the first case. The patient was a woman in her 20s who tested positive for the virus after returning home from a study abroad trip to Italy.
A second patient in the state was identified on March 12 as a Springfield resident in their 20s who just returned from visiting Austria.
Then, during a March 13 news conference where Parson declared a state of emergency, he announced two additional cases, including a St. Louis County resident who is in their 50s. The other case involved a patient who had been hospitalized at Golden Valley Hospital in Clinton, which is located in Henry County.
A 24-hour hotline has been set up for Missouri residents or health care providers who are seeking guidance on COVID-19. The number is 877-435-8411. More information can be found at health.mo.gov/coronavirus.
This story was originally published March 14, 2020 at 9:28 PM.
