Additional COVID-19-related deaths, possible community exposures announced
September 16, 2020
Sheila Harris
Tuesday, the Barry County Health Department and Office of Emergency Management announced the deaths of two more Barry County residents from COVID-19-related complications, although the final cause of death has not yet been received from the state of Missouri.
“The recent victims of the viral complications were both male: one 79 years old, and the other 69 years old. Both men had underlying health conditions, according to Barry County Health Department Administrator, Roger Brock. “They represent the fifth and sixth deaths in Barry County.”
Tuesday, in addition to the deaths, the Barry County Health Department notified the public of the following potential places of exposure from a COVID-19-positive individual:
• 09/05: Sunrise Family Restaurant in Cassville, 9 a.m.
• 09/06: Macedonia Freewill Baptist Church in Purdy, during morning services
• 09/07: Geraldi’s Restaurant in Cassville, 6 - 7 p.m.
On September 10, the health department reported that one employee of Taco Bell in Monett tested positive for COVID-19, and an employee at Angus Branch in Monett was presumed to be positive. The two cases were associated and may have been exposed during recent travel.
The two employees worked on the following dates, during the following hours:
• Taco Bell: 9/3 and 9/4, 5 p.m. to midnight.
• Angus Branch: 9/6 and 9/7, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
People who visited these locations on dates and times indicated, but who did not have close contact, are at low risk of contracting COVID-19. However, they should monitor themselves for symptoms. COVID-19 can appear 2 to 14 days after exposure and include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, fever, muscle or body aches, headache, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, or a new loss of taste or smell. If you believe you have symptoms of COVID-19, stay home, call your medical provider, and wear a mask when near anyone who does not live in the same home.
According to the statistics of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, as reported by Matthew Holloway, a statistician from Joplin, on March 21, 2020, Missouri had only 98 cases of COVID-19. Barry County had zero.
Friday, September 11, the state’s total number of cases topped 100,000.
As of Tuesday, Barry County reports a total of 453 cases. Of those, 449 have been confirmed, one case is presumptive, and three cases were antibody positive.
Forty-five people are currently isolated with the virus, three are hospitalized, 402 have recovered and six have died.
Two hundred, forty-eight close contacts of the COVID-19 patients are quarantined at home.
If a person develops symptoms of COVID-19, they should call their primary care provider or the Barry County Health Department at 417-847-2114.
Barry County Phase 2 Mitigation Rules began June 26 and remains in effect until September 30, 2020. Those rules include required source-control masking of service providers; recommended physical distancing, cloth face-coverings, and enhanced hygiene practices.
For more information about COVID-19, visit
cdc.gov/coronavirus, call the Barry County Health Department at 417-847-2114 or the Missouri DHSS 24 hour
hotline number at 877-435-8411.
Tuesday, the Barry County Health Department and Office of Emergency Management announced the deaths of two more Barry County residents from COVID-19-related complications, although the final cause of death has not yet been received from the state of Missouri.
“The recent victims of the viral complications were both male: one 79 years old, and the other 69 years old. Both men had underlying health conditions, according to Barry County Health Department Administrator, Roger Brock. “They represent the fifth and sixth deaths in Barry County.”
Tuesday, in addition to the deaths, the Barry County Health Department notified the public of the following potential places of exposure from a COVID-19-positive individual:
• 09/05: Sunrise Family Restaurant in Cassville, 9 a.m.
• 09/06: Macedonia Freewill Baptist Church in Purdy, during morning services
• 09/07: Geraldi’s Restaurant in Cassville, 6 - 7 p.m.
On September 10, the health department reported that one employee of Taco Bell in Monett tested positive for COVID-19, and an employee at Angus Branch in Monett was presumed to be positive. The two cases were associated and may have been exposed during recent travel.
The two employees worked on the following dates, during the following hours:
• Taco Bell: 9/3 and 9/4, 5 p.m. to midnight.
• Angus Branch: 9/6 and 9/7, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
People who visited these locations on dates and times indicated, but who did not have close contact, are at low risk of contracting COVID-19. However, they should monitor themselves for symptoms. COVID-19 can appear 2 to 14 days after exposure and include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, fever, muscle or body aches, headache, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, or a new loss of taste or smell. If you believe you have symptoms of COVID-19, stay home, call your medical provider, and wear a mask when near anyone who does not live in the same home.
According to the statistics of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, as reported by Matthew Holloway, a statistician from Joplin, on March 21, 2020, Missouri had only 98 cases of COVID-19. Barry County had zero.
Friday, September 11, the state’s total number of cases topped 100,000.
As of Tuesday, Barry County reports a total of 453 cases. Of those, 449 have been confirmed, one case is presumptive, and three cases were antibody positive.
Forty-five people are currently isolated with the virus, three are hospitalized, 402 have recovered and six have died.
Two hundred, forty-eight close contacts of the COVID-19 patients are quarantined at home.
If a person develops symptoms of COVID-19, they should call their primary care provider or the Barry County Health Department at 417-847-2114.
Barry County Phase 2 Mitigation Rules began June 26 and remains in effect until September 30, 2020. Those rules include required source-control masking of service providers; recommended physical distancing, cloth face-coverings, and enhanced hygiene practices.
For more information about COVID-19, visit
cdc.gov/coronavirus, call the Barry County Health Department at 417-847-2114 or the Missouri DHSS 24 hour
hotline number at 877-435-8411.
