The number of people hospitalized for the coronavirus in Missouri reached another record Thursday, and the seven-day average positivity rate was more than triple the benchmark suggested by the World Health Organization.

The state health department’s COVID-19 dashboard showed other alarming numbers, too: 1,875 new confirmed cases and 22 deaths. According to the dashboard, Missouri ranks fourth nationally in reported deaths over the past seven days, and eighth in the number of new cases. All told, Missouri has reported 150,554 confirmed cases and 2,442 deaths since the pandemic began.

The Associated Press talked to Dr. Marc Larsen, Director of Operations for Saint Luke's COVID response team and emergency physician, about how the system's rural hospitals are now seeing surges just as much as the metropolitan hospitals.

Read the full AP News article: Hospitalizations at new high, positivity rate up in Missouri