CDC moves Greene County to high COVID-19 transmission

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - The CDC’s COVID Data Tracker now rates community transmission of the virus in Greene County as high.

The agency recommends you, “Wear a mask indoors in public and on public transportation. Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines. Get tested if you have symptoms. If you are at high risk for severe illness, consider taking additional precautions.”

The Springfield-Greene County Recovery Dashboard currently lists 73 people in Greene County hospitals with COVID-19. 10 are in critical care. The dashboard will be updated Friday, July 8.

Polk, Dade, and Wright Counties are also in the high community transmission category.

This happens as an Omicron variant becomes the dominant strain in America. It’s known as BA.4. When you combine it with new cases from the close cousin BA.5, the pair account for 71 percent of new COVID cases in the United States.

When you look at Missouri’s Sewershed Project, it’s clear the two variants are here in the Ozarks. Each of the wastewater systems reporting to the project that features a triangle (see website) has the variant present. Three of those wastewater systems reporting BA.4 and BA.5 include Springfield, Marshfield, and Willow Springs.

The symptoms of the new variant include; a runny nose, sore throat, headache, persistent cough, and fatigue. Less than one-third of people surveyed reported fevers.

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