(COLUMBIA, MO) -
Fifteen new COVID-19 positive cases were reported on Monday, July 6, 2020. To date there have been 513 cases in Boone County, 166 of which are currently active. There are also currently 414 contacts quarantined due to COVID-19 exposure.
Boone County recorded 145 new cases last week, between June 29 and July 5. This is out of a total of 921 diagnostic tests administered to Boone County residents during this time period. About 10% of all Boone County residents have been tested since the first COVID-19 case was identified in mid-March.
The COVID-19 positivity rate of Boone County residents was 15.7% for the week of June 26 to July 2. This is a stark increase from the previous positivity rate that remained steadily at or below 1.4% up until the week of June 12.
PHHS is working closely with local businesses, council members, and county commissioners to address this rise in cases. You can help our community slow the spread of COVID-19 by:
- Staying home if you are sick.
- Avoiding close contact with others by social distancing from individuals outside of your household.
- Wearing a mask when around others.
- Following all guidelines when visiting businesses in Boone County.
- Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
- Covering coughs and sneezes.
- Contacting your primary care physician or local health care system immediately if you begin to experience any symptoms of COVID-19.
Due to the increase in positive cases in Boone County, the expected wait time for contacts of cases to be notified is now 2-3 days. Individuals who believe they have been exposed to COVID-19 and have not yet been contacted by PHHS should immediately begin to self-quarantine for 14 days.
The 14-day quarantine period starts on the last day the individual was within close contact with the person who tested positive for COVID. During this time, the person quarantined should not go to work, school, church, the gym, grocery store, friend’s or family’s homes, etc. Quarantine is still necessary even if the individual had close contact with the infectious person while wearing a face mask.
It is recommended that all close contacts of a positive case be tested for COVID-19 once between days 7 and 9 of the quarantine period. Testing too soon after exposure could result in a false negative result. Contacts should remain quarantined for the entire 14 days, even if they have tested negative, as the person can become infectious at any time during the incubation period.
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