ST. LOUIS — Missouri now has three deaths and 73 confirmed cases of coronavirus as of March 20, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
The number of COVID-19 cases in Missouri nearly doubled from when Gov. Mike Parson gave an update Friday afternoon. At that time, he announced 47 cases in the state. Missouri was at 28 confirmed cases on Thursday.
During his daily briefing, Gov. Parson also announced the second death of a person in Missouri because of the coronavirus. The patient was a woman in her 80s in Jackson County. She had not recently traveled.
Friday evening, St. Louis County Executive Sam Page announced the state's third death was a woman who lived in the county. Judy Wilson-Griffin is the first person to die from the coronavirus in the St. Louis area, but she will always be remembered as a beloved healthcare worker. Wilson-Griffin worked at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital, SSM Health confirmed with 5 On Your Side Friday night.
The nightly update from St. Louis County said there are 10 cases in the county, which is unchanged from Thursday night. However, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Service’s website – which updated at 9 p.m. Friday – indicated there are 12 cases in St. Louis County.
The City of St. Louis also confirmed an additional two cases Friday evening, bringing its total to seven cases. City health officials did not release any information about the patients or whether any of the cases are travel-related.
Here is the full county-by-county break down of where the cases are in Missouri, according to the health department:
- Boone: 8
- Cass: 6
- Christian: 1
- Cole: 3
- Greene: 8
- Henry: 1
- Jackson: 5
- Kansas City: 12
- Pulaski: 1
- Scott: 1
- St. Charles: 2
- St. Louis City: 6
- St. Louis County: 12
- TBD: 2
The state health department website is no longer listing how many people have been tested in Missouri.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Friday said the state health director will ban gatherings of more than 10 people to help combat the spread of the coronavirus.
Parson said the order will be issued Saturday. He stressed that it won't require businesses to close and includes exceptions for hospitals, pharmacies, grocery stores, and government and religious services.
The governor said more details will be announced Saturday.
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