Cape County reports record increase in virus cases

Two area residents died because of COVID-19 Wednesday, and Cape Girardeau County marked its highest one-day increase in cases since the pandemic began.

The deaths came in Stoddard and Bollinger counties in Missouri.

Officials with Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center reported 102 new cases of the disease Wednesday, a day after reporting 54 new cases. The county’s total number of cases as of Wednesday was 3,312, with 2,820 recoveries and 53 deaths.

Active cases in the county grew by 72 to 439 on Wednesday, a day after falling below 400 (367) for the first time since mid-September.

Cases in long-term care facilities totaled 283, with 224 recoveries, 19 active cases and 40 deaths. Active cases in such facilities have decreased in recent weeks.

Southeast Missouri State University reported 22 new cases over a multi-day period for a total case count of 410 (366 students and 44 employees). Active cases increased by 13 to 54, and on-campus quarantine/isolation rose by three to 13.

Scott County health officials updated their virus counts for the first time in several days, reporting an increase of nearly 200 cases: Oct. 29, 20; Friday, four; Saturday, 60; Sunday, 25; Monday, 27; Tuesday, 23; and Wednesday, 21. The new cases pushed the county’s total case count to 1,708, with 1,240 recoveries and 27 deaths.

Elsewhere in Missouri, Stoddard County officials reported one fatality attributed to the virus, the county’s 24th virus-related death. Officials reported 28 new cases over the weekend, 24 Monday and 24 Tuesday (1,204 total cases, 1,004 recoveries).

Bollinger County reported one virus fatality, the county’s eighth. The new cases pushed the total case count to 735, with 562 recoveries.

Perry County reported 36 new cases, which put the county’s total case count above 1,000 cases (1,026 total cases, 930 recoveries, nine deaths).

Southern Seven Health Department in Illinois reported 24 new cases — 17 in Union County (815 total cases, 524 recoveries, 21 deaths) and seven in Alexander County (149 total cases, 76 recoveries, one death).