ST. LOUIS — Two key COVID-19 numbers from St. Louis area hospitals continued a downward trend Wednesday.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force reported the seven-day moving averages of the number of new patients admitted to hospitals and the total number of coronavirus patients both decreased from Tuesday into Wednesday.
These two numbers are being closely watched by St. Louis area leaders, including Mayor Lyda Krewson and County Executive Sam Page, as the jurisdictions look to continue reopening businesses and attractions.
The graph below shows the both the daily (white bars) and seven-day average (blue line) of new coronavirus patients who checked in to task force hospitals.
The graph below shows both the daily (white bars) and seven-day average (blue line) of total COVID-19 patients who are being treated at task force hospitals.
The full breakdown of data trends from the task force is below.
- New hospital admissions: 18, up from 12
- Seven-day moving average of new hospital admissions: 21, down from 22
- Hospitalizations: 395, down from 415
- Seven-day moving average of hospitalizations: 415, down from 421
- Patients in the ICU: 91, up from 86
- Patients on ventilators: 63, up from 62
Over the last 24 hours, 34 COVID-19 patients were released from task force hospitals, bringing the total to 2,157 COVID-19 patients sent home to recover since the first case was reported in the area.
Task force: Lake of the Ozarks parties can only make transmission rates 'go in one direction or stay flat'
The COVID-19 data out of St. Louis area hospitals continued to improve, but the incident commander said it is not a reason for the region to let its collective guard down.
On Tuesday, the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force COVID-19 patients in the ICU, on ventilators and the number of daily new admissions all reached lows since the task force starting tracking the data. Despite the improved numbers in the first week of St. Louis' gradual reopening, incident commander of the task force Dr. Alex Garza said it does not mean things can return to normal in the area.
"Our numbers continue to have that slow but steady decline, but that’s not unexpected and should not be correlated with an all-clear signal, however," Garza said. "We know this because there's a lag time between incubation periods and it will take weeks to see if there’s any changes in our admission or our hospitalization data."
Dr. Garza also addressed the viral photos of people gathering at the Lake of the Ozarks and ignoring COVID-19 precautions. He said only time will tell if the actions of those seen in the photos and videos will increase the number of cases in the area and around the midwest, but he said it certainly won't limit the spread.
"The bottom line is any time you are ignoring all of these practices — whether it's social distancing or wearing masks or not washing your hands — you're always increasing the risk of transmission," he said. "And so, without a doubt, this type of activity and this type of behavior increased the risk of transmission, which means it can only go in one direction or stay flat."
