Health department: No COVID-19 cases from Missouri salon

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — None of the clients and coworkers of two hair stylists at a Missouri hair salon who tested positive for COVID-19 had confirmed cases of the disease, health officials said Monday.

The Springfield-Greene County Health Department said the incubation period for those exposed at a Great Clips salon has passed. The two stylists tested positive in May, potentially exposing 140 clients and six co-workers to COVID-19.

Of those, 46 people who were potentially exposed took tests and were negative, while all others potentially exposed were quarantined for the duration of their incubation period, health officials said in a news release.

Clay Goddard, director of the Springfield health department, said the Great Clips required people to wear masks and used other preventative measures, such as separating salon chairs and staggering appointments. Health officials are studying the incident to improve their understanding of how to prevent the spread of the virus, he said.

State health officials said Monday Missouri had recorded 14,734 confirmed cases and 819 deaths. That's an increase of 181 cases and 10 deaths from Sunday.