Flu makes early appearance, COVID cases low in Cape Girardeau County

In her communicable disease report Tuesday to the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center Board of Trustees, staff epidemiologist and project coordinator Autumn Grim said the health agency "has seen a couple of cases of flu," adding "it is uncommon to see (flu) so early."

In remarks to the five-member panel, Grim referenced flu cases already seen in Australia.

"It's been pretty bad there," she said, with data showing the country is nearly at the end of its worst flu season in five years, according to Australia's Department of Health and Aged Care.

According to an NBC News report, with flu surging in Australia for the first time since the pandemic started in 2020, the U.S. is sometimes the recipient of health trends seen earlier in the Southern Hemisphere.

COVID-19

On July 14, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention personnel classified Cape Girardeau County as "high risk" for COVID-19 after noting a jump in reported cases from 266 in May to 573 in June, a jump of 115%.

What a difference a couple of months can make.

In the most recent CDC report — available online at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html — Cape Girardeau County is listed as "low risk" for COVID, a status shared regionally with Bollinger and Stoddard counties.

Classified as "medium" risk are Perry and Scott counties.

The latest COVID information for Cape Girardeau County — available at www.capecountyhealth.com/covid19-information.php — shows 87 reported cases in the week of Sept. 15, with 109.4 cases per 100,000 residents in a seven-day period.

Other

• Environmental specialist Amy Morris reported six restaurants have received approval for operation: Omakase, Bodacious Crab Legs, Kenny's Flippin Burgers, Hot Sauce Werks, Spectrum Record Lounge and the cafeteria remodel at Jefferson Elementary School. Morris further informed the board that Fresh Healthy Cafe in Cape Girardeau's Mount Auburn Center will have a soft open for its restaurant Saturday.
• A total of 66 food stands operated during the Sept. 10 to 17 SEMO District Fair, with health department personnel making 168 visits during the week.
• A public hearing is scheduled for 4 p.m. Oct. 7 at Shawnee Park Center, 835 S. West End Blvd. in Cape Girardeau, at which time citizens may be heard on the property tax rates proposed to be set by the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center Board of Trustees.