JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reported 30 new COVID-19 deaths Thursday, 24 of which were in St. Louis County.
The department reported a total of 11,340 cases and 661 deaths Thursday, an increase of 108 cases and 30 deaths. The health department reported 10,962 new tests Thursday, the highest single-day increase during the pandemic. The total number of tests conducted in the state is 172,946.
One of the newly reported deaths was a person in their 30s, while the others were people over the age of 60. Thursday was the first time since May 12 that the state reported an increase of 30 or more deaths in one day.
Twenty-four of the new deaths reported by the health department were in St. Louis County, bringing the county's total to 376, more than half of the state's total. St. Louis County also reported an increase of 62 new cases, its largest increase since May 15.
The single-day case increases reported by DHSS over the last week were:
- 152 on Wednesday
- 135 on Tuesday
- 156 on Monday
- 114 on Sunday
- 219 on Saturday
- 139 on Friday
As of Thursday, the percent of tests coming back positive in Missouri — also known as the positivity rate — was 6.74%, the lowest it's been since April 2. That number can represent an increase in testing capacity, a decrease in the spread of the virus or both.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said he wants to ramp up COVID-19 testing across the state.
"We have the testing capacity and we have to find ways to use that capacity to test as many people as we can," Parson said during his Tuesday afternoon briefing.
His administration has a goal of performing 7,500 tests per day, starting next week. Thursday was the second day the state reported an increase of more than 7,500 tests in a single day.
"The more tests we can do today also prepares us more for this fall when school systems open up, when the universities open up. When the flu season gets here again, it's important we do more testing so that we're prepared."
The state's count did not include six deaths and about 290 cases reported by local health departments in the St. Louis area, bringing the total in the state to 11,660 cases and 667 deaths. Local health departments have more up-to-date information about their area, so the numbers are typically higher than the state's numbers.
St. Louis and St. Louis County are the top two areas in terms of cases and deaths, but other counties have higher rates per 100,000 people. St. Louis has the highest rate in our area with 580 cases per 100,000, but Saline County(1,124 per 100,000), Buchanan County(671 per 100,000) and Sullivan County(624 per 100,000) all have higher rates. St. Louis County has the fifth-highest rate, 449 cases per 100,000.
The age breakdown for state-reported cases as of Thursday was:
- Under 20 401
- 20-24 679
- 25-29 820
- 30-34 778
- 35-39 759
- 40-44 800
- 45-49 911
- 50-54 960
- 55-59 1031
- 60-64 993
- 65-69 766
- 70-74 621
- 75-79 495
- 80+ 1316
The age breakdown for state-reported deaths as of Thursday was:
- Under 20 0
- 20-29 1
- 30-39 4
- 40-49 13
- 50-59 43
- 60-69 110
- 70-79 171
- 80+ 319
For a full county-by-county breakdown, including per 100,000 data, use our interactive map: