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Jefferson County child dies from COVID-19 as cases increase in the county

Jefferson County is still in the CDC's lowest level of community transmission although COVID-19 cases are increasing in the county.

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Mo. — A child under the age of 10 died from COVID-19 in Jefferson County, the health department reported this week.

The health department did not say if it was a boy or a girl and did not provide any additional details about the death.

"We are deeply saddened by this news and our condolences go out to their family and friends," Brianne Zwiener, the health department's public communications officer, said in a press release. "With this being a pediatric death, out of respect and privacy for the family, no other information is being provided."

According to the health department's weekly respiratory illness update, Jefferson County is still in the CDC's lowest level of community transmission although COVID-19 cases are increasing in the county. The report said there were 335 new COVID-19 cases this week, up 81% from last week and the highest in the county since February.

"Increasing numbers should be considered a prompt to residents to heighten their personal hygiene practices and update vaccinations/boosters if they are eligible as a proactive way to protect themselves and others around them," Zwiener said in the release.

The respiratory illness update also includes influenza numbers for this year. A total of 1,284 flu cases have been reported this year, four of which resulted in death. In that same time, there have been 148 COVID-19 deaths in the county.

Earlier this week, the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force reported an increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations, but leaders said it was not a "cause for alarm."

RELATED: 'It's not a cause for alarm': COVID cases on the rise in St. Louis area

"Today we did report 120 people admitted to the hospitals," Task Force Incident Commander Dr. Alex Garza said Monday, "which we haven't seen for about two months."

The rise is noteworthy, but Dr. Garza said, "It's still not those dramatic spikes we saw in the earlier waves, but it's still something that I think we need to be aware of."

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