Today’s update discusses:

• continued decline in initial unemployment claims
• decrease in St. Louis area hospitalizations
• beginning universal inpatient testing at Kansas City hospital

ECONOMY

• The Missouri Department of Labor announced on Thursday that 50,000 Missouri residents filed new claims for unemployment benefits last week. Although the number is still high, this marks the third straight week of declining initial claims filed.

HEALTH

• The St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force announced on Thursday that the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the St. Louis area is the lowest in nearly a month. In addition, the number of hospitalized individuals in the ICU is the second-lowest number since April 5, the number of hospitalized individuals on ventilators is the lowest since the task force started recording, and the number of new COVID-19 admissions is also trending downward.
• Saint Luke’s Health System hospital in Kansas City stated on Thursday that anyone being admitted to the hospital will be tested for COVID-19 as it launches universal inpatient coronavirus testing. In addition, hospital officials stated they are working on expanding their use of pre-procedural and diagnostic testing to “more rapidly identify patients who need to be isolated and receive care for COVID-19.”