ST. LOUIS — While COVID-19 cases across the St. Louis region are trending up, medical professionals said symptoms are less severe and cases overall are still low.
"I think it's a combination of a lot of things,” Mike Jelinek, Total Access Urgent Care said. “More people out and about. Less people wearing masks. That could contribute to that as well."
Total Access Urgent Care runs 30 to 40 COVID tests daily.
"Every time we start to notice a trend, we start to get a little concerned,” Jelinik said. “If you are feeling sick, if you are having symptoms get checked out."
The positivity rate in St. Louis County is 10%. That’s up from 7% a week ago but down significantly from the height of Omicron which was almost 40%.
St. Louis Health Director DR. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis said children are her biggest concern.
“Children under the age of five don't have a vaccine,” Davis said. “Many of those age groups don't know how to keep a mask on. They need to be protected.”
She notes children may be at a lower risk than adults, but they aren’t immune. The long-term effects of the virus may be detrimental down the line. Davis said cases are picking up in schools and across the city.
“Overall cases are still low,” Davis said. “But the trend has been over double the amount of cases in the past four weeks.”
Health professionals urge people to continue to be wary of COVID. Stay home if sick, mask up in tight spaces and keep up with your vaccination status to help protect against the next variant.
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St. Louis County noted the increasing transmission was "most apparent among young people and residents of the Central and West regions."
The number COVID-related hospital admissions, ICU occupancy, and deaths remain low.