SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – The Springfield-Greene County Health Department reported 37 more deaths related to COVID-19 on Wednesday. 24 of the 37 deaths reported in the past week occurred in December; 13 took place in January.
Kathryn Wall of the Springfield-Greene County Health Department said the reason for delayed reporting is that a thorough investigation must be completed to determine COVID-19’s involvement in any death.
“The idea that anyone who dies with COVID-19 is considered a COVID-19 death, that’s not the case,” said Wall. “We count only as COVID-19 deaths where COVID-19 is determined to be a substantial reason for their deaths.”
Health leaders called the victims:
- A man in his 40s who had no underlying health problems
- Two men in their 50s
- A man in his sixties
- A woman in her sixties
- Four men in their seventies
- Two women in their 70s
- Ten men in their eighties
- Six women in their eighties
- Five men in their nineties
- Three women in their nineties
- A man in his hundred
- A woman in her hundred
“We keep hearing this misconception that this is just something, a disease, that affects people who are very old or very sick,” said Wall. “This week’s numbers indicated that this is not the case and we need people to remember to take that seriously. “
Wall said that although the number of deaths in January has so far been lower than the number recorded in the first 20 days of December, it doesn’t necessarily mean the virus is going to stop.
“It’s hard to put a finger on it and be confident because deaths are a lagging indicator,” Wall said. “We have not known for some time whether someone tests positive and what happened as a result.”
Local hospitals are currently reporting fewer COVID-19 hospitalizations. CoxHealth CEO Steve Edwards tweeted Wednesday Cox’s Springfield locations currently have fewer than 100 COVID-19 patients in the hospital.
Mercy Hospital tells KY3 that 55 COVID-19 patients were admitted to the hospital on Wednesday. That’s almost half of what the hospital reported to KY3 at the end of December.
“Ideally, our hope is because we’re starting to see those case numbers drop, we’re starting to see those hospital admissions drop, that this is an indicator that those deaths will also decrease, but we’re just not sure.” Wall said.
She said the health department is hopeful the vaccine is already having an impact, but wants people to know not to be on the lookout just yet.
Wall said we are about a week away from the one-year anniversary of the health department’s first COVID-19 press release. At the time, they were preparing for when the virus would make its way to Missouri. Now they are working on plans to distribute the vaccine to the public.
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