Editor's note: This is a daily briefing updating the latest information on the COVID-19 pandemic at 4 p.m. each day.
Butler County health officials announced Saturday that a 22nd positive test for COVID-19 was reported.
No other information was provided.
The official tally by state officials saw 234 new cases in Missouri on Saturday. The state's total now stands at 5,517 cases and 175 deaths.
The Associated Press reported Friday that 400 new cases were counted by the Johns Hopkins University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering, which has been tracking cases worldwide, showed 418 new cases for a total of 5,560 that inlaced 170 deaths.
The state reported 172 new cases Friday, a day after Gov. Mike Parson extended the statewide stay-at-home order through May 3.
In the last seven days, the state saw nearly 1,500 new cases and 66 deaths.
Butler County's total rose from 15 to 22 while Dunklin County reported two deaths among its 18 cases.
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As of 2 p.m. Saturday, April 18:
US DEATHS: 31,456 Mo. Deaths: 175 (+10) Mo. Cases: 5,517 (+234)
Cases by area county: Butler County: 22 Carter: 3 (1 death) Dunklin: 18 (2 deaths) Stoddard: 13 Ripley: 3 Reynolds: 2 Wayne: 0 Perry: 41 Cape: 35 (1 death) Scott: 42 St. Francois: 24 (1 death) New Madrid: 8 Pemiscot: 11 Bollinger: 3 Madison: 1 Clay, Ark.: 1
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Cloth face coverings are recommended for everyone by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Do not use surgical masks or N95 masks. Those are critical supplies needed for health care workers and first responders.
Be sure that the face covering "fits snugly but comfortably against the side of the face; secured with ties or ear loops; include multiple layers of fabric; allow for breathing without restriction; be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape." (CDC)
Instructions for sewn cloth face coverings can be found here.
Don't know how to sew? Click here to watch a short video on how to make a face covering.
To donate masks in Butler County, text or call 573-714-4197. Someone will come pick up the masks and distribute them where needed.
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From the AP: For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death. The vast majority of people recover.
Here are the symptoms of the virus compared with the common flu.
One of the best ways to prevent spread of the virus is washing your hands with soap and water. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends first washing with warm or cold water and then lathering soap for 20 seconds to get it on the backs of hands, between fingers and under fingernails before rinsing off.
You should wash your phone, too. Here’s how.
The Missouri coronavirus information hotline is 877-435-8411.
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