KC metro exceeds 500 new coronavirus cases for first time since July, adds seven deaths
The Kansas City metropolitan area added more than 550 new coronavirus cases Wednesday as seven more deaths were confirmed.
The area encompassing Kansas City and Jackson, Clay and Platte counties in Missouri and Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas gained 556 new cases for a total of 23,861.
The metro has not had new daily cases exceed 500 since July 30, when a record 685 cases were reported.
The seven-day rolling average for new cases sits at 369. One week ago, it was 407. Two weeks ago, it was 496.
Two of the recent deaths were in Wyandotte County, two were in Clay County, one was in Johnson County, one was in Jackson County and one was in Kansas City, raising the metro’s total to 358.
August has had three days where seven deaths were reported. Last month, only one day had seven or more deaths.
After hitting a high of 39 patients being treated by the University of Kansas Health System on Tuesday, doctors reported 30 patients on Wednesday.
A trial vaccine will be delivered to the health system in the next two weeks, according to Mario Castro, vice chair for clinical and translational research.
Early data from the vaccine, which was developed at Oxford University and purchased by AstraZeneca, showed it produced protective antibodies.
The trial being conducted at the health system will include 1,250 people. For every three participants, two will get the vaccine and one will receive a placebo, Castro said.
On Wednesday, Missouri reported 62,530 cases and 1,323 deaths. The seven-day positive test rate was 11.5%. The overall positive test rate was 7.7%.
Kansas identified 32,547 cases and 395 deaths. The overall positive test rate was 9.7%.
Across the country, more than 5.1 million people have contracted the virus and 165,5110 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University.
