On Sunday, Mercy Hospital in Springfield announced that it was opening its sixth ward to care for coronavirus patients as the region deals with a surge in COVID cases, even as other areas experience fewer cases as vaccinations pick up, the Associated Press reports.
“Many local rural communities don’t have high vaccination rates,” Mercy Hospital Chief Administrative Officer Erik Frederick wrote. “They also don’t have a hospital. Get sick, come to Springfield. I think that’s getting left out of the narrative.”
Officials in the two major metropolitan areas in the state, St. Louis and Kansas City, have issued warnings that their regions will also experience a spike in cases and hospitalizations. St. Louis County Health Department reported a 63% increase in cases in the last two weeks.