Compass Health in Warrenton is beginning to offer tests for COVID-19 this week.

Warren County Health Department Director Ruth Walters announced the new development during an address to the Wright City Chamber of Commerce May 26. Other temporary testing sites will also be available in the region over the next two weeks, Walters said.

As of Tuesday, 30 Warren County residents have tested positive for COVID-19, with 27 recovered and zero deaths.

Troy Lambert, deputy director of primary care for Compass, said testing supplies are still limited, so patients who want to get tested in Warrenton or one of the other Compass locations in the region will still be screened for symptoms or exposure before being tested.

"We're being liberal with those guidelines ... but we really do want to focus on those folks who have been exposed or have symptoms," Lambert said. Because of financial support being offered for COVID-19 expenses, he said under-insured or uninsured patients can still receive testing at no charge.

To do a screening and schedule an appointment for a test at Compass, or to ask questions, call 636-445-7245.

The testing being offered by Compass is designed to identify active cases of COVID-19, and is more useful than other types of tests that only determine whether someone has been exposed in the past, Lambert explained.

Ruth Walters, the Warren County Health Department director, said restrictions on who can get tested for COVID-19 at various area agencies are significantly less than they once were. Previously, health care providers had fairly strict standards for symptoms and required strong likelihood of exposure before scheduling a test.

To seek a referral for testing at other area agencies, people can contact SSM online at www.SSMhealth.com, or contact Mercy by calling 314-251-0500.

Several temporary testing sites in counties throughout the St. Louis region are also being made available by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Registration is required. To view a list of available test sites and register, go online to health.mo.gov/communitytest.

Walters said at the end of last week, only 1 percent of the population in Warren County had been tested for the virus. However, she said people have taken the right steps to prevent the spread of the disease.

“We are now more mindful and we have changed our behaviors due to this pandemic,” Walters commented. “Everyone needs to continue to practice safe distancing. Frequent hand washing is encouraged. We cannot become complacent.”

Of the confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Warren County, 14 people are residents of the zip code that includes Wright City and Innsbrook, according to health department data. Seven positive cases are within the central Warren County zip code that includes Warrenton, while five cases are in the southern zip code that includes Marthasville. Other cases are spread around the edges of the county.