KC metro adds nearly 500 new COVID-19 cases, raising total to more than 16,000
The Kansas City metropolitan area added nearly 500 new COVID-19 cases Friday, bumping the total number of cases over 16,000.
The area encompassing Kansas City and Jackson, Clay and Platte counties in Missouri and Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas added 495 new cases.
The seven-day rolling average for new cases is 438. One week ago, it was 313. Two weeks ago, it was 267.
The positive test rate was 5.38% in Kansas City, 6.44% in Jackson County, 7.34% in Clay County, 6.66% in Platte County, 6.4% in Johnson County and 17.3% in Wyandotte County.
The metro has a total of 16,062 cases, including 298 deaths.
In a letter published Friday, top health officials from Kansas City and Jackson, Johnson and Wyandotte counties said “recent data suggests that we are now again losing the battle with COVID-19.”
Officials said hospitalizations in the metro are at an all-time high, exceeding the numbers seen in March and April.
They urged people to wear masks, saying doing so could help prevent another stay-at-home order.
“If we do not act quickly as a community and region, future shutdowns will be inevitable,” the group wrote.
They also encouraged people to limit their interactions, especially when indoors, and practice social distancing.
On Thursday, Johnson County had reported 96 deaths, but the number was revised to 92 on Friday.
“Reclassification of a death from COVID-19 can occur after a review by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment,” said Barbara Mitchell, spokeswoman for the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment. “Things change quickly these days, we want to make sure the data is correct even if we have to make changes to original information.”
Forty-three deaths have been confirmed in Kansas City, 47 in Jackson County, 91 in Wyandotte County, 19 in Clay County and six in Platte County.
On Friday, Missouri reported 37,700 cases, including 1,179 deaths. The positive test rate was 6%.
Kansas confirmed 25,109 cases, including 326 deaths. The positive test rate 9%.
Across the U.S., more than 4 million people have contracted the virus and more than 144,000 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University.
This story was originally published July 24, 2020 at 4:04 PM.
