ST. LOUIS — There are now seven people in the City of St. Louis who have tested positive for the coronavirus, which is an increase of two cases from Thursday night.
The city’s health department shared a graphic Friday night to announce the new cases. The graphic shows that as of 5 p.m., there are seven confirmed cases, 14 test results pending and 72 people who are being monitored.
The update from the health department did not include any further details about the new cases.
On Thursday, the St. Louis health department said staff members are working with each of the patients to determine who they came in close contact with so they can monitor and limit the potential spread.
“It’s crucial residents in the City of St. Louis continue to socially distance themselves from others, and stay home if they are ill,” said Dr. Fredrick Echols, director of health for the City of St. Louis.
On Wednesday, 5 On Your Side learned from multiple sources that a medical professional at Barnes-Jewish Hospital was the city’s second confirmed coronavirus case.
RELATED: Second confirmed case of the coronavirus in City of St. Louis is Barnes-Jewish employee, sources say
St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson has not confirmed that detail, citing medical privacy laws. However, in a tweet about the case, Mayor Krewson noted there is reason to believe there is “community exposure” because the person continued to go to work while exhibiting symptoms.
“While we still don't have any detected signs of community transmission at this time, this case underscores the importance of what our healthcare professionals have been telling us.
If you have ANY cold or flu-like symptoms, don't go to work & seek medical attention,” Krewson wrote in a tweet.
Friday night, St. Louis County confirmed the first coronavirus death in the St. Louis area. The patient was a woman in her 60s who lived in the county. She was tested this week. Her test results came back positive on Tuesday.
The woman is Missouri's third confirmed coronavirus death.
Page said health officials don’t know if the woman had recently traveled. At this time, they aren’t saying how the woman might have contracted COVID-19. Without knowing her travel history, county officials said they're left to assume it was acquired in another way, possibly through the community.
St. Louis County has 10 confirmed COVID-19 cases.
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