COVID-19 Cases Continue to Rise in the City of St. Louis

The City of St. Louis Department of Health is alerting the public that the city is experiencing a massive increase in daily COVID-19 cases. Overall, reported COVID-19 cases by geography reveal widespread transmission by ZIP codes across the city. The 7-day case average has tripled in December, up to more than 150 cases per day. Also, the 7-day average for the percentage of all COVID-19 tests performed that are actually positive for the city is also on an upward trajectory, currently at 14.3% (up +3.2% over last week), with preliminary data from the past few days having it as high as 25%. The goal for this rate is 5% or smaller. 

“These trends are alarming, especially when we know the actual numbers may be higher, as many people have the disease asymptomatically and others are not getting tested,” says Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis, Director of Health for the City of St. Louis. “In order to turn these trends around it’s important that we focus on the proven successful mitigation measures that have been emphasized throughout the pandemic.” 

The Department of Health encourages everyone to use all the tools available to prevent transmission of the virus, including:

• Getting your vaccine or booster if eligible. The booster is the best protection against the Omicron variant at this time. For a list of vaccine locations, visit our website https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/covid-19/vaccine/
• Correctly wear a mask when indoors
• Stay 6 feet apart
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, or use hand sanitizer if soap and water is not available
• Limit the number and size of social gatherings 
• Test everyone before social gatherings. Contact your local pharmacy for a rapid test or visit our website for a list of testing sites, visit https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/covid-19/data/test-locations.cfm

The Department of Health is reviewing recently announced Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) isolation and quarantine guidance. The City of St. Louis Department of Health is consulting local, state and federal partners to ensure the best safety and health decisions are made for the city.