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ST. LOUIS – Coronavirus cases are spiking in southwest Missouri. It has the largest number of critical care patients since the pandemic began in that region.

The Springfield-Greene County Health Department said 44 percent of the 167 COVID-19 patients are in need of critical care. The delta variant is believed to be responsible for much of the spread.

Officials said the one thing most of the patients have in common is that they have not been vaccinated.