Leaders with the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center and the City of Cape Girardeau's two hospitals held a news conference Friday to urge the public to take steps to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Southeast Hospital CEO Ken Bateman said they re-opened the incident command center on Wednesday, which closely monitors the number of COVID-19 patients in the facility, staffing levels and supplies.
“On Thursday, there were 44 COVID patients in the hospital, ten of those on ventilators. The current average length of stay for a COVID patient is 7.9 days. Some COVID patients have been with us for well over ten days.”
St. Francis Medical Center CEO Maryann Reese said she's out of advice to get people to take more precautions. Instead, Reese read a poem she wrote called "COVID-19 Healthcare Workers' Requests."
“…we have the right not to wear a mask. But, I beg you it’s such an easy task. Do it for a cause that’s greater…how about keeping our loved ones off the ventilator.”
The positivity rate in Cape Girardeau County currently stands at 26.9 percent...above the state rate of 23.5 percent.
The county has reported over four thousand cases overall and 60 deaths. There are around one thousand active cases.
