After an early May lull, several new positive COVID-19 cases were reported in Callaway County over Memorial Day weekend.
Most local cases were reported in April and have since recovered. The first new case since May 1 was reported by the Callaway County Health Department on Saturday.
Not long after, the department learned of three more cases, discovered on Sunday and Monday.
The total number of COVID-19 cases in Callaway County is 26 - 20 recovered, five active and one death.
Health department director Sharon Lynch said that the increase in cases could be due to increased testing.
"People are out and about, they're moving around and we are going to see more cases," Lynch said. "There has also been more testing."
Debra Walker, acting deputy director of the Missouri Department of Mental Health, confirmed that Fulton State Hospital reported positive tests from two staff members on Sunday, adding to the facility's count of three total cases.
As a part of Gov. Mike Parson's plan to increase testing, Fulton State Hospital is doing facility-wide testing of all staff and patients this week. The hope is to identify individuals regardless of whether they are showing symptoms and help slow the spread of the virus.
According to the Missouri COVID-19 Dashboard, last week there was a 8.3 percent increase in cases statewide. More than 12,000 Missourians have been diagnosed and 686 have died.
Johns Hopkins reported more than 1.6 million cases and 99,123 deaths nationwide as of Wednesday morning.