ST. LOUIS — Missouri's positivity rate decreased for the first time since Aug. 23 even though the state reported more than 1,000 COVID-19 cases for the second day in a row.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reported 97,591 cases and 1,691 deaths as of Thursday, an increase of 1,116 cases and 18 deaths.
Thursday's case increase was 246 fewer than Wednesday and 281 fewer than last Thursday.
The department reported a total of 1,083,924 PCR — or polymerase chain reaction — tests Thursday, an increase of 13,015 tests in the last 24 hours. The state's positivity rate decreased from 9.01% on Wednesday to 9.00% on Wednesday. According to the department's dashboard, the positivity rate for the last seven days was 12.7%.
On Thursday, the state reported 932 COVID-19 hospitalizations across the state, up from 897 hospitalizations reported Wednesday. The number of hospitalizations is delayed by 72 hours to ensure accuracy, so the number reported Tuesday represents hospitalizations on Sept. 7.
All the numbers reported by the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force decreased Thursday, including hospitalizations and new admissions.
- New hospital admissions (data lagged two days) decreased – from 42* yesterday to 28 today.
- The seven-day moving average of hospital admissions (data lagged two days) decreased – from 36 yesterday to 34 today.
- The seven-day moving average of hospitalizations decreased – from 284 yesterday to 279 today.
- Inpatient confirmed COVID positive hospitalizations decreased – from 290 yesterday to 261 today.
- Inpatient suspected COVID positive hospitalizations decreased - from 106 yesterday to 96 today.
- The number of confirmed COVID positive patients in the ICUs decreased – from 82 yesterday to 81 today.
- The number of confirmed COVID positive patients on ventilators decreased – from 55 yesterday to 53 today.
- Across the system hospitals, 54 COVID-19 patients were discharged yesterday, bringing the cumulative number of COVID-19 patients discharged to 5,540.
*Wednesday’s hospital admissions number has been adjusted due to a delay in test results. It was adjusted from 40 admissions to 42 admissions, which did not change the seven-day rolling average.
In St. Louis County, there were 186 new COVID-19 cases and one new death Thursday, bringing the totals in the county to 21,187 cases and 763 deaths.
In St. Louis, there were 19 newly reported COVID-19 cases and one new death Thursday, bringing the totals in the city to 6,408 cases 196 deaths.
In St. Charles County, there were 93 new COVID-19 cases and no new deaths Thursday, bringing the totals in the county to 6,486 cases and 113 deaths.
The Jefferson County Health Department said there were 3,336 cases and 52 deaths in the county as of Thursday, an increase of 39 cases and three deaths. The department said 279 of those cases are considered probable.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is reporting slightly different numbers for Jefferson County. According to the Missouri DHSS, the county has 3,207 confirmed COVID-19 cases, up 17 from Wednesday. The graph below uses Missouri DHSS data.
