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Cole County's count of positive COVID-19 cases rose to 12 as of Thursday afternoon, up from seven Wednesday.
Four of the five new cases are travel-related, and health officials believe the fifth is as well, Cole County Health Director Kristi Campbell.
"Two of the patients contracted the virus through domestic travel, not international travel," Campbell said. "They live in the same household. One other patient got it from traveling to a part of Missouri where there has been a high number of COVID-19 cases already reported. All these new cases are self-quarantining in their homes."
Missouri had reported 502 cases of the new coronavirus statewide, as of Thursday, with eight deaths in the state related to the virus.
Patients who test positive are given medication to alleviate symptoms, Campbell said, but the type of medication depends on the patient's medical history and any other health issues.
Campbell also reported Thursday two Cole County patients who previously tested positive for COVID-19 have recovered and have been released from quarantine.
"According to Centers for Disease Control guidelines, if it's been seven days since their positive test and they have been symptom- and fever-free for 72 hours without medication, then they can be released from quarantine," Campbell said. "The CDC guidelines allow them to be released because they are not contagious any more."
This article was updated at 5:20 p.m. March 26, 2020, with new information.