ST. LOUIS (AP) — New COVID-19 hospital admissions in St. Louis are approaching winter surge levels and southeast Missouri hospitals are under strain due to a surge in coronavirus cases and a rise in deaths. The St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force says hospitals in the city on Thursday reported admitting 100 new patients with COVID-19, the most since Jan. 16. A total of 585 people were hospitalized, including 25 children. Meanwhile, hospital data shows the number of COVID-19 patients being treated at Southeast Hospital and Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau has increased by more than 50% in the last week and a half.