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With spring comes an uptick in St. Louis COVID-19 cases

Officials believe the increase could be due to gatherings during spring break and Easter or the lifting of coronavirus mandates

ST. LOUIS — After a period of plateaus, St. Louis has seen an uptick in COVID-19 cases.

The St. Louis Department of Health reported Monday that it has seen a concerning increase in cases over the past 14 days. The seven-day rolling average increased from 20 on March 25 to 28 on April 28. The positivity rate also increased from 4% to 5.1% over the same period.

“We have enjoyed for the last two months a real downturn in the number of cases, and in the last couple of weeks it has plateaued," Mayor Lyda Krewson said during a Monday afternoon COVID-19 briefing. "Now, we’re beginning to see an uptick, that worries us."

"Any uptick worries us. We know that a lot of folks are beginning to think that COVID is over, but COVID is not over,” Krewson added.

The health department said this trend is not unique to St. Louis. CDC numbers issued Friday show that the United States was in its fourth week of an upward trend.

Acting St. Louis Health Department Director Dr. Frederick Echols said the increase could be due to gathering during spring break and Easter.

“A contributing factor to the national increase could also be the lifting of virus mitigation controls including social distancing and face covering requirements, as well as presence of the more contagious variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19," he said. "We will continue to pay close attention to our reported cases over the next few days and weeks.”

The health department stressed that wearing a face covering, social distancing and avoiding crowds are still important tools to slow the spread of the virus.

"The City of St. Louis Department of Health is encouraging St. Louisans to stay the course and reminding everyone that we have come too far to relax now," the department said.

“Stick with your mask wearing – especially if you have not been vaccinated. Keep your social distance, continue to wash your hands, don’t be in huge groups of people all clustered together because COVID is still out there and, in some ways, it’s still having its way with us,” Mayor Krewson added.

All Missouri adults are now eligible for vaccines. St. Louis residents who want a vaccine can register online with the health department or call 314-657-1499 if they don't have internet access.

Residents can also register for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) community vaccination center, which is operating inside the concourse level of the Dome at America's Center. An advanced appointment is required. Residents can sign up online or call 877-435-8411. 

RELATED: FEMA officials open St. Louis COVID-19 mass vaccination site

The St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force, which combines COVID-19 numbers from the area's four major health care systems (BJC HealthCare, Mercy, SSM Health and St. Luke's Hospital) reported the following data for April 12:

- New hospital admissions (data lagged two days) decreased - from 38 yesterday to 33 todayThere were 34 admissions on Saturday.

- The seven-day moving average of hospital admissions (data lagged two days) increased – from 39 yesterday to 40 today. On Saturday it was 38.

- The seven-day moving average of hospitalizations increased – from 227 yesterday to 229 today. On Saturday it was 223.

- Inpatient confirmed COVID positive hospitalizations decreased – from 226 yesterday to 224 today. On Saturday it was 225.

- Inpatient suspected COVID positive hospitalizations decreased – from 42 yesterday to 31 today. There were 19 on Saturday.

- The number of confirmed COVID positive patients in the ICUs decreased – from 56 yesterday to 51 today. There were 50 on Saturday.

- The number of confirmed COVID positive patients on ventilators decreased – from 36 yesterday to 33 today. There were 33 on Saturday.

- The number of COVID deaths increased – from 2 yesterday to 4 today. There were 2 deaths on Saturday.

- The seven-day moving average of COVID deaths increased – from 2 yesterday to 3 today. It was 2 on Saturday.

- Across the system hospitals, 109 patients have been discharged over the past three days, bringing the cumulative number of COVID-19 patients discharged to 20,962.

Staffed bed hospital capacity is at 80% as of Monday, an average across our task force hospitals. The ICUs are at 81% of their total staffed bed capacity.

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