The omicron variant makes up the majority of COVID-19 cases currently in Greene County.
Springfield-Greene County Health Department director, Katie Towns, said Wednesday cases are down slightly, which could signal a plateau in the surge. She can’t say yet if the county has seen the peak. But, she said, even when the county hits the peak of the surge, there will still be several more weeks where the virus is cycling at a very high level.
Meanwhile, Springfield hospitals continue to see increases in COVID-19 inpatients.
Brent Hubbard, president and COO of Mercy Hospitals Springfield, said there were 166 people hospitalized at Mercy due to COVID-19 on Wednesday. CoxHealth president and CEO Steve Edwards said there were 183 at his hospital.
A total of 123 people have died of COVID-19 at Cox and Mercy in January. Twenty-seven of them were Greene County residents.
Towns announced Wednesday that 10 of the deaths in Greene County were reported on Wednesday. They included a man and woman in their 30s. Some had pre-existing conditions and some didn't. None was vaccinated.
All three healthcare leaders urge people to get vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to greatly reduce the risk of hospitalization and death.
Find out where to get a vaccine at vaccine417.com.