No omicron detected as county cases continue general decline
Nodaway County cases
MARYVILLE, Mo. — For the first time since Nov. 8, the number of active COVID-19 cases in Nodaway County dipped under 100 this week, but quickly climbed back over the century mark.
As of Dec. 27, the most recent data available from the Nodaway County Health Department, there were 109 active cases of COVID-19. The previous day the figure had dropped to 83. Because Dec. 27 was a Monday after a holiday weekend, it was not unusual to see increased testing and increased cases.
In the most recent report, eight were hospitalized, continuing a trend of high hospitalizations over the past two months, and 37 have died since counting began last spring.
Across the country, the omicron variant of the virus has helped to spread infections more widely. But according to the Sewershed Surveillance Project, omicron has not yet been detected in Maryville, perhaps contributing to the recent decline in cases that is the opposite of the nationwide trend. The project is a joint effort by the University of Missouri and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services in partnership with local municipalities that tracks viral loads in sewersheds across the state.
The city of Maryville opted into the program, sending samples from the wastewater treatment plant to MU weekly for analysis.
The delta variant remained the dominant type of the virus found in Nodaway County as of Dec. 13, the most recent data available.
More data from the project is available at arcg.is/1P9bPz0.
Local health officials have continued to stress the importance of mitigation measures in stopping the spread of COVID-19 and stopping those who catch it from suffering its worst effects, especially by getting vaccinated, which studies have shown help to guard against the most severe effects of COVID-19.
New dashboard
Northwest Institutional Research at Northwest has moved its online COVID-19 data-tracking dashboards to a new location with added functionality.
The Nodaway County dashboard is now located at tabsoft.co/3DWhq7F.
The dashboard with university-specific information is now located at tabsoft.co/32uZ3Kc.
Vaccinations
Individuals ages 5 and up are now eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends all adults ages 18 and older should receive a booster shot for COVID-19, regardless of which vaccine an individual first received.
Those who received a Pfizer or Moderna vaccination series initially will become eligible six months after the final dose, and Johnson & Johnson recipients are eligible two months after receiving their shot.
As of Dec. 28, a total of 11,381 Nodaway County residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, or about 53.6 percent, according to the CDC’s online vaccination dashboard. About 48.2 percent of county residents — 10,232 — have been fully vaccinated. Of the those who have been fully vaccinated, 3,705 have received a booster dose, or about 36.2 percent of fully vaccinated individuals in the county — higher than the percentage at both the state and national levels.
In Missouri, about 62 percent of residents have received at least one dose, and about 52.8 percent are fully vaccinated. Of the fully vaccinated, about 32.8 percent have received a booster.
Across the country, the CDC estimates 73.3 percent of Americans have received at least one dose, 61.7 percent have been fully vaccinated, and 32.7 percent of fully vaccinated individuals have received a booster.
Contact the Nodaway County Health Department at 660-562-2755 to make an appointment for vaccination or for more information.
For more information on booster shots, visit cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html.
DATA FROM THE SEWERSHED SURVEILLANCE PROJECT
Locations in Missouri where the omicron variant has been detected as of Dec. 13.
