Number of COVID-19 cases rises sharply
June 17, 2020
Sheila Harris
Along with jumps in numbers reported by some neighboring counties, positive cases of COVID-19 in Barry County also continue to rise.
From a total of 11 positive cases shown by the Barry County Health Department on June 9, the number doubled to 22 cases on June 16. Of those, 10 were reported within the previous 24-hour time-frame.
Five new cases were reported Monday afternoon, June 15; an additional five were reported Tuesday, shortly after noon, bringing the total number of cases to 22.
Thirty close contacts of the ten new positive cases are currently in quarantine, with more expected to be added to the list.
The 12th positive case of COVID-19 in Barry County was reported by the Barry County Health Department on June 12. The case was the result of community spread, but not believed to be related to recent positive tests of out-of-county residents employeed by George’s Processing.
Out of an abundance of caution, the health department released a list of locations that individual visited in Barry County.
They are as follow:
• Walmart in Cassville, June 10, from 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.
• A & J Sporting Goods in Cassville, June 11, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:10 a.m.
• Uncle Roy’s in Eagle Rock, June 11, from 12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.
People who visited those locations on those dates, but who did not have close contact, are at low risk of contracting COVID-19, but should monitor for symptoms.
On June 15, the Barry County Health Department reported five new positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the total at that time to 17. Two of the cases were a result of recent travel to a COVID-19 hot-spot, one case was a result of community spread, and two cases had yet to be determined.
Those cases were not associated with recent positive tests by George’s Processing employees.
On June 16, The Barry County Health Department reported five additional new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases to 22. All of the cases were close contacts of a previous case. The new cases had been in quarantine due to the previous contact and are now under an isolation order by the Barry County Health Department.
One of the recent positive cases visited:
• MO Wings in Monett, from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on June 10.
• Walmart in Cassville, from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on June 14; a mask was worn and the person had no symptoms.
Barry County Health Department Administrator, Roger Brock, indicated that the new cases represent spread of COVID-19 among persons in contact with a known positive case.
“Since these individuals have been in quarantine for several days, there is a low risk of additional spread in the community from these patients,” Brock said.
In neighboring counties, Newton county’s numbers jumped from 16 cases reported on June 1, to 105 cases Tuesday, with an additional death reported, according to a June 16 Joplin Globe article, bringing the number of Newton County deaths attributed to COVID-19 to two.
According to the same Joplin Globe article, Newton County Health Department Administrator, Larry Bergner, said, as of late last week, 10 of the COVID-19 patients were hospitalized.
McDonald and Jasper Counties are also seeing jumps in numbers, as are Benton and Carroll Counties in Arkansas.
There is some speculation that the rise in numbers correlates to the two-week incubation period following Memorial Day gatherings.
“We do expect to see additional cases of COVID-19 in Barry County, due to the recent number of new positive cases here” Barry County Health Department administrator, Roger Brock, said.
The Barry County Health Department staff monitors all persons under an isolation or quarantine order daily.
As Barry County begins Phase 2 of the reopening of the county, the health department reminds residents the best way to prevent the community spread of COVID-19 is to wear a cloth face covering, maintain a physical distance of 6 feet, avoid groups of greater than 10 people, and wash hands often.
Roger Brock also reminds residents the symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, shortness of breath or at least two of the following: fever, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, or new loss of taste or smell.
Symptoms may begin two days to two weeks after exposure.
Your physician can order testing, or you may call the Barry County Health Department at 417-847-2114 to discuss the availability of rapid testing.
Persons at a higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19 - including those greater 65 years of age, those who are immuno-compromised or have chronic medical conditions - should limit travel and wear a cloth face covering in public. (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/groups-athigher-risk.
Along with jumps in numbers reported by some neighboring counties, positive cases of COVID-19 in Barry County also continue to rise.
From a total of 11 positive cases shown by the Barry County Health Department on June 9, the number doubled to 22 cases on June 16. Of those, 10 were reported within the previous 24-hour time-frame.
Five new cases were reported Monday afternoon, June 15; an additional five were reported Tuesday, shortly after noon, bringing the total number of cases to 22.
Thirty close contacts of the ten new positive cases are currently in quarantine, with more expected to be added to the list.
The 12th positive case of COVID-19 in Barry County was reported by the Barry County Health Department on June 12. The case was the result of community spread, but not believed to be related to recent positive tests of out-of-county residents employeed by George’s Processing.
Out of an abundance of caution, the health department released a list of locations that individual visited in Barry County.
They are as follow:
• Walmart in Cassville, June 10, from 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.
• A & J Sporting Goods in Cassville, June 11, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:10 a.m.
• Uncle Roy’s in Eagle Rock, June 11, from 12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.
People who visited those locations on those dates, but who did not have close contact, are at low risk of contracting COVID-19, but should monitor for symptoms.
On June 15, the Barry County Health Department reported five new positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the total at that time to 17. Two of the cases were a result of recent travel to a COVID-19 hot-spot, one case was a result of community spread, and two cases had yet to be determined.
Those cases were not associated with recent positive tests by George’s Processing employees.
On June 16, The Barry County Health Department reported five additional new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases to 22. All of the cases were close contacts of a previous case. The new cases had been in quarantine due to the previous contact and are now under an isolation order by the Barry County Health Department.
One of the recent positive cases visited:
• MO Wings in Monett, from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on June 10.
• Walmart in Cassville, from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on June 14; a mask was worn and the person had no symptoms.
Barry County Health Department Administrator, Roger Brock, indicated that the new cases represent spread of COVID-19 among persons in contact with a known positive case.
“Since these individuals have been in quarantine for several days, there is a low risk of additional spread in the community from these patients,” Brock said.
In neighboring counties, Newton county’s numbers jumped from 16 cases reported on June 1, to 105 cases Tuesday, with an additional death reported, according to a June 16 Joplin Globe article, bringing the number of Newton County deaths attributed to COVID-19 to two.
According to the same Joplin Globe article, Newton County Health Department Administrator, Larry Bergner, said, as of late last week, 10 of the COVID-19 patients were hospitalized.
McDonald and Jasper Counties are also seeing jumps in numbers, as are Benton and Carroll Counties in Arkansas.
There is some speculation that the rise in numbers correlates to the two-week incubation period following Memorial Day gatherings.
“We do expect to see additional cases of COVID-19 in Barry County, due to the recent number of new positive cases here” Barry County Health Department administrator, Roger Brock, said.
The Barry County Health Department staff monitors all persons under an isolation or quarantine order daily.
As Barry County begins Phase 2 of the reopening of the county, the health department reminds residents the best way to prevent the community spread of COVID-19 is to wear a cloth face covering, maintain a physical distance of 6 feet, avoid groups of greater than 10 people, and wash hands often.
Roger Brock also reminds residents the symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, shortness of breath or at least two of the following: fever, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, or new loss of taste or smell.
Symptoms may begin two days to two weeks after exposure.
Your physician can order testing, or you may call the Barry County Health Department at 417-847-2114 to discuss the availability of rapid testing.
Persons at a higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19 - including those greater 65 years of age, those who are immuno-compromised or have chronic medical conditions - should limit travel and wear a cloth face covering in public. (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/groups-athigher-risk.
