The Springfield-Greene County Health Department announced the third confirmed case of COVID-19 in Greene County.

To protect the patient’s right to privacy, identifying information will not be provided. As part of the regular practice of disease investigation, the health department will notify people who have had contact with the patient, who traveled domestically.

Staff working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to determine any close contacts of the individual who were possibly exposed. If so, health officials will provide guidance to these individuals and monitor them closely for the development of symptoms.

As of Saturday, March 14, the state public health laboratory is no longer required to send positive tests to the CDC for confirmation. Results are now considered confirmed cases.

So far, the state has tested 170 people for COVID-19. The state reports six positive tests in all. Of those cases, three are in the Springfield area, another case in the Clinton area and the final two cases are in St. Louis County. The state reports no positive tests from independent labs.