The Camden County Health Department reports that a person who went to the Lake of Ozarks last weekend has tested positive for coronavirus.
According to officials, the visitor was a Boone County resident and was in the lake's vicinity on May 23 and 24. They warn that the person was likely infectious at the time of his visit around the lake.
So far, no COVID-19 cases were reported among Camden County residents since last week. Missouri Governor, Mike Parson, said in a news conference on Friday regarding weekend parties at the Ozarks, that people needed to be responsible for their actions at some point.
Camden County released the visitor's weekend visit schedule at Ozarks to warn residents who might have been at the same location at the same time as the potentially infectious individual.
May 23, 2020, Saturday:
1-5 P.M. - The visitor went to Backwater Jacks.
5:40 - 9 P.M. - The visitor was at Shady Gators and Lazy Gators Pool.
9:40 -10 P.M. - The visitor headed back to Backwater Jacks.
May 24, 2020, Sunday:
1 -2 P.M. - The visitor was at Buffalo Wild Wings.
2:30 - 6:30 to 7 P.M. - The visitor stayed at Shady Gators.
Around 7 P.M. - A taxi took the visitor to a private residence coming from Shady Gators.
People who may have been in these places are asked to carefully monitor for symptoms, including fever, shortness of breath, cough, body aches, headache, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and loss of smell or taste.
Are Coronavirus Lockdowns Easing Off too Quickly?
This month, Missouri state permitted concerts to resume for the first time since the implementation of the state's stay-at-home order in April. Reports say that Missouri officials believe it would be safe, as long as people attending the event stood six feet apart from each other.
It doesn't stop there. Governor Mike Parson allowed all businesses in the state to resume operations, provided that employees and customers observe social distancing. An exception is made for St. Louis, which will remain in lockdown.
Meanwhile, the number of new positive cases is still trending upward every day in Missouri. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, warns that if states open up prematurely, little spikes in terms of coronavirus cases could increase, eventually leading to another wave of the outbreak.
If that occurs, experts fear that it would further burden and potentially overwhelm the health care system's capacity. Barely having fully recovered from the first wave, the nation is still dealing with harsh financial and psychological blows from the initial wave.
Furthermore, Columbia University projects that the early opening of states will lead to an increase of 10,000 new coronavirus cases or more by June.
Common Sense is the Best Form of Protection from COVID-19
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, individuals who fall into certain higher-risk categories, such as the elderly with chronic medical conditions such as lung, heart, and metabolic diseases, should avoid crowds and mass public gatherings.
Furthermore, experts urge that there are certain practices everyone can do to stay safe. According to Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, meticulous hand washing and avoiding touching the face is vital when dealing with droplet precautions to prevent the spread of the virus.
Healthy individuals need not completely isolate themselves, but need to take precautions as well, experts say.
Dr. Robin Patel, a Mayo Clinic infectious disease specialist and the American Society for Microbiology president, tells Healthline that there are various common-sense practices to stay safe and prevent the spread of the virus.
She says that if someone is ill, that person should not engage in events, work, or congregate with others. People need to make a sound evaluation of themselves and their health conditions.
Moreover, she explains that although a music festival would seem fun, it certainly isn't a requirement for anybody. Additionally, she says that anyone who falls under the category of posing a risk of infection to others should make sense of not partaking in such events.
