The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reported fewer than 900 new COVID-19 cases for the third day in a row, but the last two days have also come with below-average increases in testing.
On Tuesday, the department reported a cumulative total of 76,636 confirmed coronavirus cases and 1,440 deaths, an increase of 692 cases and 14 deaths.
Tuesday's increase in cases was 177 fewer than Monday and 102 fewer than last Tuesday, but Tuesday's increase in polymerase chain reaction — or PCR — tests was below average again.
On Tuesday, the state reported a total of 924,078 PCR tests, a single-day increase of 4,366. Tuesday was the second consecutive day of fewer than 5,000 new tests. The last time the state reported fewer than 5,000 tests on consecutive days was June 21 and 22.
On Tuesday, the state's overall positivity rate increased from 8.26% to 8.29%. The department says the seven-day average positivity is 11.4%.
A day after the number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized statewide decreased by nearly 100, the department reported an increase of 61. On Tuesday, the state reported 925 COVID-19 hospitalizations, up from 864 on Monday. The hospitalization numbers from the state are delayed 72 hours to improve accuracy, so the number reported Tuesday reflects hospitalizations on Aug. 22.
On Monday, Dr. Alex Garza, commander of the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force, said key hospital data seemed to be plateauing.
On Tuesday, the task force reported single day increases in new COVID-19 admissions and total COVID-19 in area hospitals.
- New hospital admissions (data lagged two days) increased – from 39 yesterday to 43 today.
- The seven-day moving average of hospital admissions (data lagged two days) increased – from 38 yesterday to 39 today.
- The seven-day moving average of hospitalizations increased – from 256 yesterday to 259 today.
- Inpatient confirmed COVID positive hospitalizations increased – from 266 yesterday to 296 today.
- Inpatient suspected COVID positive hospitalizations decreased – from 113 yesterday to 96 today.
- The number of confirmed COVID positive patients in the ICUs increased – from 67 yesterday to 83 today.
- The number of confirmed COVID positive patients on ventilators increased – from 39 yesterday to 44 today.
- Across the system hospitals, 49 COVID-19 patients were discharged yesterday, bringing the cumulative number of COVID-19 patients discharged to 4,886.
In St. Louis County, there were 235 new COVID-19 cases and seven new deaths Tuesday, bringing the totals in the county to 17,975 cases and 720 deaths.
The county reported 2,096 new tests within the last day. According to the county's dashboard, the positivity rate for the last seven days was 8.1%.
In St. Louis, there were 27 newly reported COVID-19 cases and three new deaths Tuesday, bringing the totals in the city to 5,881 cases 187 deaths.
In St. Charles County, there were 40 new COVID-19 cases and no new deaths Tuesday, bringing the totals in the county to 5,336 cases and 106 deaths.
In Jefferson County, there 27 newly reported cases and no new deaths Tuesday, bringing the totals to in the county to 2,351 cases and 40 deaths.
