KANSAS CITY, Mo. — There are currently 796 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Missouri and 115 patients on ventilators, according to the Missouri Hospital Association.
Gov. Mike Parson said that leaves 1,947 ventilators available in the state in the event a second wave of coronavirus sweeps the state, which is nearing the end of a second week since lifting statewide stay-at-home orders.
“This is good news,” Parson said. “Our hospitals are not overwhelmed.”
He also said Missouri’s positivity rate continues to decline.
Department of Health and Senior Services Director Dr. Randall Williams later said that Missouri “reached a tremendous milestone” Monday by sending remdesivir, an antiviral drug, to all hospitals in need of it in the state.
He said Missouri received 389 vials of the drug used for coronavirus treatment Monday and expects to receive another 1,800 vials by the end of the week, which is more than enough to treat the 129 patients in the state on ventilators, Williams said.
Williams said his department plans to begin surveillance testing around hot spots, like the COVID-19 outbreak at Triumph Foods in St. Joseph, sometime next month to help ensure the state can react quickly to large-scale flare-ups.
Parson said his legislative priorities remain workforce development and infrastructure as the House and Senate prepare to wrap up the current session.
“Those are the two things that will bring our economy back,” he said.
Parson also cautioned that, unless the federal government authorizes a new round of CARES Act funding to “backfill” lost revenue, deep cuts will be coming to the state budget.
“The biggest challenge we all have going forward is the budget,” he said. “The appropriations process, we still have a lot of work to do on that. I think there will be more withholds coming up before July 1.”
Parson said he hasn’t looked at the redistricting referendum proposal, which would roll back the voter-approved Clean Missouri constitutional amendment passed in November 2018 to address gerrymandering, or Medicaid expansion, which is expected to go before voters after an initiative petition drive.
It will be up to the governor’s office to decide when both issues go before Missouri voters, likely during the August primary or November general election.
Parson also announced Monday that he has sought a federal emergency disaster declaration related to severe storms May 3-4 in the state.
There were two tornadoes — an EF-1 on May 3 in New Madrid County and an EF-0 on May 4 in southwest Carter County — and sustained 80 mph winds during the storms.
FEMA has agreed to help assess the damage in 19 counties — including Bates, Butler and Henry counties. One woman died in Bates County when a tree fell on a house.
Parson will skip his daily briefing on Friday.
Instead, he will tour the Claycomo Ford Plant, where he’ll thank workers for pivoting to make safety equipment amid the pandemic and will applaud plans to restart vehicle manufacturing.
