KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Missouri is not in a “surge or a second wave” of COVID-19 cases, according to Gov. Mike Parson.
He said during a press briefing on Tuesday that there are “outbreaks in specific areas” and the state is “aggressively testing in these areas.”
Data from the Dartmouth Atlas Project showed over the weekend that Joplin had seen the highest COVID-19 growth rate over the course of the past week. That increase was tied to a Butterball plant in the city.
Dr. Randall Williams, director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, said the majority of the state’s new cases are from four counties – McDonald, Barry, Newton and Jasper.
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Parson reiterated that the “vast majority” of COVID-19 cases are not hospitalized and the state’s health care system is not overwhelmed.
“I remain confident that Missouri is on the road to recovery,” Parson said.
The governor also said he has “no intention” of closing the state at this time and that social distancing is the most important way people can respond to the virus.
“We’re not going backwards here,” Parson said. “We’re moving forward. The economy is going to open up and we’re going to fight this virus every day.”
As part of the state's Show-Me Strong Recovery plan, Missouri "fully" opened earlier this month.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Missouri had reported 18,838 COVID-19 cases and 981 deaths, according to data compiled by 41 Action News.
