With Christmas and New Years now behind us, the number of COVID-19 cases appears to be on the rise in Joplin. On Monday, the Joplin Health Department reported a nearly 77 percent increase in the number of coronavirus cases in the past two weeks. The city also reported 277 active cases, bring the total to 4,750 since the pandemic reached Joplin in early March of last year. There are also 4,380 inactive or recovered cases. Approximately 20 percent of all cases in Joplin are residents between the ages of 20 and 29. The overwhelming majority of deaths that have occurred because of the disease are individuals 60 years and older. Also, on Monday, the cities health department reported three additional deaths. 71 and 87-year-old females. And an 82-year-old male. The 82 and 87-year-old residents were occupants of long term care facilities. The death tolls in Joplin due to COVID-19 is now at 96.