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The Delta variant of COVID-19 is found in Colombia and is likely contributing to the increase in infections in Boone County and elsewhere, health officials said this week.
“We have received notification from the state that Delta has been confirmed in Boone County,” said Sara Humm, spokesperson for the Columbia / Boone County health department. “We received an initial notification last week that a case in their sample for further testing came back positive for Delta.”
Verification of the Delta variant in patients of the zone is supported by wastewater monitoring. During the June 14 measurement, the Delta variant was in the sewage waters of Columbia, Jefferson City, Fulton, and Mexico City. June 7 was in Columbia, Jefferson City and Mexico City.
There was no Delta variant in the wastewater as of May 31 in mid-Missouri, but it had already appeared on May 25 in Mexico.
“As COVID-19 cases increase in Missouri, possibly due to the highly contagious Delta variant, MU Health Care has also noticed an increase in COVID-related hospitalizations,” MU Health Care spokesperson said Monday. , Eric Maze. “While we do not routinely identify the COVID-19 strain infecting our patients because it does not affect their treatment, we are seeing an increase in hospital admissions for younger Missourians, aged 40 to 60, unvaccinated .
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“We currently have 19 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, including 10 in intensive care and seven on ventilators. Of those hospitalized, three patients are from Boone County. We care for patients in an area of 25 counties in the middle of Missouri.
Maze stressed the importance of vaccinations.
“Vaccination is extremely important to keep community transmission low, and we encourage everyone to get vaccinated,” Maze said. “We encourage those who are unsure about vaccines to speak with their doctor and do their research.”
The Delta variant, which originated in India, shows that the pandemic is not over, said Robin Blount, chief medical officer at Boone Hospital.
“The Delta variant is of great concern as a potential super-spreader,” said Blount. “It appears to be much more contagious and results in more severe cases of the disease, requiring more medical attention.”
As of Tuesday, Boone hospital had 13 COVID-19 patients, about half of them in intensive care.
Because Columbia hospitals receive patients from a large area, most of the people hospitalized are not from Boone County, which has better immunization rates than other parts of the state, Blount said.
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“Fortunately, Boone County is very well vaccinated compared to the rest of the state,” Blount said. “It’s a completely preventable disease at this point. The vaccine is working. We have to see people taking it.”
The Boone County COVID-19 dashboard on Wednesday showed 240 active cases in the county. There were 47 COVID-19 patients in hospitals, including five residents of Boone County.
Of those hospitalized, 17 were in intensive care and five were on ventilators.
There were 78 new cases on Monday, while on June 12 there was a new case.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 83% of people 65 and over in Boone County are fully vaccinated, compared to 56% of those 18 and over and 54% of those 12 and over.
“Getting vaccinated makes a huge difference,” Blount said.
She cited a Associated press analysis showing that only 0.08% of deaths from COVID-19 in May were in people who were fully vaccinated.
Boone Hospital and MU Hospital both have a few COVID-19 patients who have been fully vaccinated, Blount and Maze said.
The vaccine is not complete protection against the disease, but those who are vaccinated and contract the disease are also not at risk of getting as sick as those who are not vaccinated, Blount said.
Because the vaccine isn’t 100% effective, Blount said it’s a good idea to continue wearing face covers indoors and at gatherings. That’s what the World Health Organization recommends, but not the CDC.
“Dying is not the only thing to fear” with COVID-19, Blount said. “Hospitalization is a big problem. Being on a ventilator is a big problem. It disrupts your life, your family, your job.”
Boone Hospital offers the vaccine to eligible people who present to the emergency room. It is offered in all primary care clinics and when patients hospitalized for other reasons are discharged, she said.
“We’re just trying to keep putting it in people’s arms,” Blount said of the vaccine.
MU also offers the vaccine in its clinics and pharmacies, Maze said. Individuals can make an appointment online.
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The state of Missouri is asking for help from new federal COVID-19 response teams as the Delta variant continues to spread, with an increasing number of cases and hospitalizations statewide.
Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman Lisa Cox confirmed Thursday that the state has asked for help and will provide more details when it can.
The “emergency response teams,” announced at a White House press conference Thursday, will be dispatched to emerging COVID-19 hotspots across the country, where vaccination rates remain low. They will aim to increase screening and vaccination rates, as well as to find and treat those who have fallen ill with the virus.
“We are stepping up our efforts to help states prevent, detect and respond to hot spots among the unvaccinated by mobilizing COVID-19 response teams to be ready to deploy federal resources and, if necessary, federal personnel,” said Jeff Zients, White Home’s COVID-19 Response Coordinator.
Galen Bacharier of the Springfield News-Leader contributed to this report.
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Sources 2/ https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/news/healthcare/2021/07/02/delta-variant-covid-19-case-outbreak-missouri-columbia-boone-county-vaccine-pandemic-mask/7803985002/ The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article |
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