New COVID-19 cases last week top all of June

The number of new COVID-19 cases in Missouri over the past week was more than all of June and nearly double the number reported in May.

Statewide, there were 1,927 positive tests reported Wednesday alone, a single-day record. It was the ninth straight day with over 1,100 new cases.

The seven-day average of new cases reached 1,527 when just two weeks ago it never got higher than 661.

Over the past week, there has been a total of 10,687 new cases. In all of June the state reported 8,404 while May saw 5,585.

There have been 46,750 confirmed cases in Missouri since the pandemic reached the state in March and 1,220 deaths.

On Wednesday, the number of deaths nationwide reached 150,000.

Area counties have also seen a jump in the numbers of new cases.

Wayne County, which was one of the last areas in the state to report its first case, has seen a 200% increase over the past week with 10 new cases of the virus.

Butler County reported five new confirmed cases Wednesday after six in each of the previous two days. Over the last two weeks, the county reported 57 new cases as the total number reached 196.

Carter County now has 13 total cases after three were reported Wednesday while Reynolds County had five new cases over the past week.

Ripley County reported a new case Wednesday, the 16th in the last two weeks and 39th total.

Stoddard County reached 196 total cases with 12 new positive tests over the last three days.

When taking population into account, Butler County ranks high with 501.89 cases per 100,000 as does Stoddard (691.64) and Dunklin (751.11) counties. Greene County, which includes Springfield, has 343.58 cases per 100,000 while Taney County, which includes Branson, is at 521.02. Both of those cities have mandated the wearing of cloth face coverings in public.

Common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, trouble breathing, sore throat, muscle pain, and 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.

Because some people can be infected with the virus and not feel sick or have any symptoms, the total number of infections is thought to be much higher.