KC metro surpasses 20,000 COVID-19 cases Sunday. Number more than doubled in July
The Kansas City metropolitan area surpassed 20,000 confirmed infections of the coronavirus Sunday, days after the region saw its largest spike in new daily cases.
With 305 more cases reported Sunday, the virus has now infected 20,157 of the metro’s residents, killing 327.
Those figures are up from the 16,781 infections and 302 deaths to date reported last week. Two weeks before, there had been 13,858 cases and 287 deaths to date, according to data maintained by The Star.
The region, which encompasses Kansas City and Jackson, Clay and Platte counties in Missouri and Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas, saw its largest spike in new infections Thursday with 685 new cases. Before that, the record for daily increases was set two days earlier, with 643.
Within the last week, the region has seen an increase in more than 3,300 infections. It partly contributed to another statistic for the metro: Cases more than doubled during July, which began with about 8,300 infections.
In Kansas City and Wyandotte, Johnson and Jackson counties, at least 196,600 metro residents to date have tested negative.
The region surpassed the 20,000 milestone days after Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, told lawmakers he remains confident a COVID-19 vaccine will be ready by early next year.
But Fauci said not to look for a mass nationwide vaccination right away. There will be a priority list based on recommendations from scientific advisers.
Officials testifying with Fauci at a contentious House hearing Friday acknowledged the U.S. remains unable to deliver all COVID-19 test results within two or three days. They pleaded with Americans to comply with basic precautions such as wearing masks, avoiding crowds and washing their hands frequently.
Those simple steps can deliver “the same bang for the buck as if we just shut the entire economy down,” said Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
On Sunday, The Star reported that dozens of county health departments have not received a penny of the hundreds of millions of dollars the federal government delivered to Missouri to fight the virus’ spread in May.
“In Missouri it appears that even when we have billions to spend on public health, we can’t get around to it,” Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas wrote on Twitter. “I hope all our counties see the light before we waste another three months when we should be fighting the spread and impact of COVID-19.”
Coronavirus by county
As of Sunday, Johnson County continued to outpace other counties in the region in the number of virus-related deaths, with 98 deaths and 5,074 cases. That’s up from 4,455 infections and 94 deaths to date last week.
On Thursday, the county’s health director, Sanmi Areola, said with Johnson County averaging more than 100 new COVID-19 cases a day, it is currently unsafe to open schools.
There have been 4,492 infections and 95 deaths in Wyandotte County. Last week, the county reported 4,065 cases and 91 deaths to date.
Kansas City has the highest number of cases in the metro with 5,929, including 53 deaths. That’s up from 4,785 cases, including 45 deaths, reported to date last week.
Jackson County has reported 3,450 infections, including 51 deaths. By this time last week, there had been 2,507 infections and 47 deaths.
Clay County has seen 900 cases and 20 deaths. There had been 717 cases, including 19 deaths, to date last week.
In Platte County, officials confirmed 312 cases and 10 deaths. By this time last week, there had been 252 cases, including six deaths.
Throughout Missouri, 51,840 residents have been infected, including 1,253 who have died. That’s up from 41,927 cases and 1,197 deaths to date last week. The positive test rate was 7.2%.
When it last updated its data Friday, Kansas confirmed 27,812 cases to date, including 358 deaths. By this time last week, there had been 25,109 cases, including 326 deaths. The positive test rate was 9.5%.
Nearly 4.5 million Americans have been infected with COVID-19, and more than 150,000 have died. In recent weeks the virus has rebounded in the South and West. Upticks are being seen in other parts of the Midwest.
Most people recover from COVID-19 within a few weeks. For people who experience longer-term effects, the most common issues are bouts of exhaustion, headaches, anxiety and muscle aches that can last for at least several more weeks. Patients who require intensive care can experience more serious issues.
The Associated Press’ Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar and Matthew Perrone contributed to this report.
This story was originally published August 2, 2020 at 4:57 PM.
