Butler County CDC advisory increased

UPDATE 2 p.m. Saturday

Butler County marked its 300th case of COVID-19 shortly before 2 p.m. Saturday with the announcement of nine new cases.

As of Aug. 12, the Butler County Health Department reported 278 cases, including:Recovered, 224; Hospitalized, 3; Deaths, 4; and other, including self isolating, 47.

This is the most recent break down of recovered cases.

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Two area counties marked significant changes this week related to COVID-19.

Butler County was moved from the Centers for Disease Control’s COVID green list to the yellow advisory list. Butler County Emergency Management Agency Director Robbie Myers believes the change reflects an area where numbers are rising, but not to the extent that Butler County has reached the CDC red advisory list.

Butler County is one of about 20 counties in the yellow advisory list, including Cape Girardeau County.

A 70-year-old male is the second Carter County resident to die from the coronavirus, Carter County Health Department Administer Michelle Walker also announced Friday.

Butler County

While Myers is concerned about the numbers, he believes Butler County moved from green to yellow as the area is catching up with the test results.

The counties marked in red by the CDC are hot spots, he said.

Agreeing with Myers and Walker, Butler County Health Department Administrator Emily Goodin said, “We have seen an increase in testing.”

Since the local facility has its own rapid testing machine, numbers may continue to increase, health officials said.

The CDC uses approximately 10 metrics in making its determination. These include the number of new cases per week, percent change in new cases, rate of positive tests, change in rate of positive tests, total number of tests, number of deaths and number of skilled nursing facilities with COVID patients.

She said the rapid tests are 80% accurate and are getting better.

The regular tests must be sent to a lab and take anywhere from three to 10 days to get the results.

Goodin explained the rapid testing at the center will be conducted Tuesdays and Thursdays, and those wanting to take the test need to call for an appointment.

With school about to start, Goodin urges everybody to use caution while out by washing hands often, wearing a mask and staying home if they feel ill.

When people say “it’s just my allergies,” it could be, but it could be the virus, she said.

“Wear a mask to keep from getting infected or infecting others,” she said.

Butler County announced nine new cases Friday, bringing the total to 291.

Carter County

The latest Carter County victim started as a contact from another case, Walker explained.

“He had not been hospitalized very long,” Walker said. ”I think otherwise he was healthy. Two weeks ago he had not been arranging his funeral. He was otherwise a healthy individual.”

Walker admits, “it is frustrating to us at the health department” how the virus progresses to something so much worse and people are no longer with us.”

Walker wants to make the public see how dangerous the virus is and “it is not going away.”

She’s talked with people who think others are calling them weird for wearing a mask.

“You are protecting other people,” she said.

Adults are giving in to peer pressure, she said.

She shared, they are afraid others will judge them. They do not want to distance themselves.

“I feel their concern, but they need to take this seriously, not to fear it. Wearing a mask is protective. People should want to take care of other people,” Walker said.

Walker believes the higher numbers in neighboring Butler County are because of increased testing.

The telephone number for the Butler County Health Department is 573-785-8478.

Anyone wanting to keep up with the CDC or state information may go online to https://missouri-coronavirus-gis-hub-mophep.hub.arcgis.com/app/b658827b89b445f3809d25b061a07e39