Visitors to Butler County Courthouse will be required to wear face covering

Visitors to the Butler County Courthouse will be required to wear a face covering starting Monday after four employees there recently tested positive for COVID-19.

Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett issued an order Saturday that said, “all who seek entry to the courthouse must wear a mask while present until further order of the Court. Please observe signs and other directives as social distancing will be strictly enforced.”

Butler County health officials announced two new positive tests for the virus on Saturday, a day after one of the five new cases reported was an employee at the courthouse.

Over the last seven days there has been 28 new cases in Butler County, which also reported a second death associated with the virus.

Reynolds County also reported two new positive tests Saturday as officials said eight people are currently in isolation. Prior to Wednesday, there had not been a new case in Reynolds County since the end of March.

The seven-day increase of new cases in Reynolds County was the second-highest in the state behind a 167% jump in Macon County.

Missouri health officials reported 472 new cases Saturday. There have been nearly 4,000 new cases reported in the last week and the seven-day average of new positive tests has doubled over the past 20 days to 560.

There have been 1,069 deaths associated with the virus statewide.

The Associated Press reported that state health officials say new cases are being spread primarily by young people. Health department spokeswoman Lisa Cox said on Friday that the average age of new patients in the past week was 37.4.

Cox said younger, healthier people are more likely to have mild symptoms and that the actual number of people with COVID-19 is much higher than the 27,133 confirmed cases because many people with mild or no symptoms do not get tested.

“On the negative side, it’s easy for them to carry the virus to someone older or with underlying conditions,” Cox told the AP.

Common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, trouble breathing, sore throat, muscle pain and a loss of taste or smell. Most people develop only mild symptoms, but some people, especially those with other medical issues, develop more severe symptoms, including pneumonia.

To prevent the spread, health officials encourage people to wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer; avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth; clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces frequently; wear face coverings if 6 feet of distancing is not possible; and stay home when sick.

In Cape County, where the total number of cases reached 368, health officials issued a face-covering order for the entire county starting Monday.

The order applies to anyone 9 years of age and older and includes businesses and public spaces.

Other communities around the state that are requiring face coverings or considering it include St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia, Joplin, St. Joseph and Springfield.

While those areas have higher total numbers than Butler County’s 126 confirmed cases, the number of cases per 100,000 residents is higher here (274.4) than Springfield (147.6) and nearing St. Louis County (277.1).

A free three-day testing event in Poplar Bluff resulted in 629 total tests administered.