Breaking another record, KC metro adds more than 300 new coronavirus cases Wednesday
The Kansas City metropolitan area added more than 300 new cases Wednesday, the biggest jump since the pandemic began.
The area encompassing Kansas City and Jackson, Clay and Platte counties in Missouri and Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas has a total of 8,377 cases.
Kansas City added 77 of the 307 new cases identified on Wednesday, Jackson County added 29, Clay County added six, Johnson County added 106 and Wyandotte County added 89. The count in Platte County did not increase.
Kansas City, which has its own health department, reports its figures to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, as does each county in the state.
Wednesday was the first time the metro surpassed 300 new cases. On three days this month, more than 200 cases have been added. On 17 days, more than 100 cases have been added.
Before June, the metro’s case count surpassed 100 on three days.
The seven-day average for new cases was 204. Two weeks ago, it was 102. Four weeks ago, it was 96.
Two new deaths were reported Wednesday, one in Johnson County and one in Wyandotte County. The metro has a total of 242 deaths.
People in public places in Kansas City, Wyandotte County and Jackson County are required to wear a mask. A similar mandate starts Friday in the state of Kansas.
Johnson County public health officer Joseph LeMaster said masks are effective in preventing the spread of the virus.
“It’s clear that when people are wearing masks, even cloth masks, there’s a downward trend,” he said during a media briefing hosted by the University of Kansas Health System.
Nineteen states require masks, according to the health system.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said Tuesday that he will not order Missourians to wear masks in public.
On Wednesday, Missouri reported 21,551 cases, including 1,015 deaths. Of the people who died, 531 were age 80 or older.
Kansas confirmed 14,990 cases, including 272 deaths. Of the people who died, 161 were age 75 or older.
Nationwide, more than 2.6 million people have contracted the virus and more than 127,000 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University.
This story was originally published July 1, 2020 at 3:24 PM.
