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BLOOMFIELD — Stoddard County has its first confirmed case of COVID-19, the Stoddard County Health Department reported via Facebook. The patient is a male in his early 40s, and the case in contact related. The patient currently is quarantined at home.

Two triage tents have been erected outside SoutheastHEALTH of Stoddard County as a precaution, according to Stoddard County Ambulance District (SCAD) Manager David Cooper. “This is just part of our plan that we have been discussing in the past several weeks in the event an outbreak would occur in our counties,” said Cooper. “So its all precautionary, since we had our first case in the county we decided to go ahead and initiate the tent out here at the hospital.”...

The Dexter School Board approved the insurance plans for employees and Superintendent C.A. Counts addressed the school outlook amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The board elected to increase the district's insurance contribution to $500 an employee to help staff with the current state of the economy. The policies saw a total increase of 17 percent...

EDITOR’S NOTE: While a document issued by the Stoddard County Commission does include the phrase “stay at home to limit social contact,” it is not considered a true stay-at-home order. The order is based on limiting social contact and slowing the spread of COVID-19 and is not a lockdown, according to Associate Commissioner Carol Jarrell...

The Puxico Board of Aldermen closed city hall and other facilities to the public and authorized Mayor Rick McLean to declare a state of emergency amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Bill 20-01, which authorizes the declaration of a state of emergency within the city, calls for proactive measures to be taken to protect the public's health, safety and welfare. ...

All Stoddard County Schools have extended the COVID-19 wellness break until April 24. The schools: Advance, Bell City, Bernie, Bloomfield, Dexter, Puxico, Richland and Woodland released a joint statement with the decision Monday afternoon. The eight superintendents at each school have been in contact with each other regularly during this situation. ...

The Stoddard County Commission activated an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) on Thursday in response to the COVID-19 situation. Stoddard County Emergency Management Director Kent Polsgrove said the three partners in the EOC are the Stoddard County Health Center, SouthHEALTH of Stoddard County and the Stoddard County Ambulance District...

BLOOMFIELD — Stoddard County officials began setting up video-conferencing systems in the county’s courtrooms this week amid the continuing concerns over COVID-19. Circuit clerk personnel and the Office of State Court Administrator are setting up “video conferencing in our two courtrooms,” said Associate Circuit Judge Joe Satterfield...

BLOOMFIELD — The Stoddard County Commission met with elected officials Monday morning to discus how the county would conduct business and keep employees and customers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Elected officials discussed access to the government building. The county’s officeholders talked about closing each individual office, but they chose to close the building, effective immediately, although offices will be in operation during regular business hours...

BLOOMFIELD -- Stoddard County Commissioners voted Monday morning to issue a state of emergency for the county in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While no cases of COVID-19 had been diagnosed (as of 10 a.m. Monday) in the county, the commissioners voted 3-0 to begin a state of emergency immediately...