An assisted living woman in her 80s is Springfield’s first coronavirus related death. During a press conference today, the Springfield-Greene County Health Department in southwest Missouri announced the casualty – Missouri’s second COVID-19 related death today.
The patient lived in Morningside of Springfield East. Three other patients have tested positive from the same assisted living center.
“Every life is a gift, and we place the utmost value upon it,” says Presiding Commissioner Bob Dixon, “Please be safe, and act with the entire community in mind.”
Earlier today, St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson announced a woman in her 30s died of the respiratory disease. The patient was diagnosed on Sunday. Her case was not travel related and officials would not say if the woman had underlying health issues.
So far, five people have died in Missouri from the disease. Last Friday, two people died from coronavirus – one in St. Louis County and another in western Missouri’s Jackson County. Last Wednesday, a person in mid-Missouri’s Boone County also died.
On March 9, the state announced Missouri’s first likely case of the coronavirus. Today, Missouri’s latest confirmed count of COVID-19 cases is 183. The figure comes from the Department of Health and Senior Services. Some counties are listing higher figures than what is reflected in the state’s county by county breakdown.
Nathaniel Polley of Missourinet affiliate KSGF in Springfield contributed to this story