Missouri reopened for some businesses Monday but also marked its highest number of new coronavirus cases in one day, increasing by 368 cases and reporting six more deaths.
The rise compared to 319 new cases Sunday, just one day before the reopenings began, reports St. Louis CBS affiliate KMOV-TV. Part of the large numbers came from an outbreak at a St. Joseph meatpacking company, where 300 workers tested positive. Gov. Mike Parson said all the company's sick employees have been quarantined.
However, Parson said the virus was not widespread, about 3,000 random tests were taken statewide over the weekend but only 9 came back positive.
"You have to take all the numbers as a whole to see how it affects the entire state," Parson said.
Dr. Randall Williams, the state health director, said the spike also came as a result of increased testing, including among asymptomatic people, who might have gone unnoticed before.
Missouri has reported 8,386 cases and 352 deaths statewide as of Sunday. Most of the cases, at 55%, are in St. Louis City or St. Louis County. Local leaders there have extended their stay-at-home orders through at least the middle of May. Parson's statewide orders to remain home expired Monday.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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