KC metro adds nearly 300 COVID-19 cases as doctors report decline in hospitalizations
The Kansas City metropolitan area added nearly 300 more COVID-19 cases on Monday as local doctors noted a recent decline in hospitalizations.
The area encompassing Kansas City and Jackson, Clay and Platte counties in Missouri and Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas gained 293 cases for a total of 36,943 to date.
The seven-day rolling average for new cases had been below 300 since September 6, but hit 300 on Saturday and is now at 313.
One week ago, the average was 276. Two weeks ago, it was 297.
The University of Kansas Health System reported 15 hospitalized patients being treated for the virus, down from 21 on Friday.
Larry Botts, chief medical officer at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission, said the hospital had 13 patients, five of whom are in the ICU.
“I think that the trend over the last two-and-a-half months with little change in hospitalizations or not a significant increase in cases indicates that those infectious disease precautions that we’ve put in place with our masks and our social distancing and good hand hygiene have all been very effective,” Botts said during a briefing hosted by the University of Kansas Health System.
Truman Medical Centers have 22 COVID-19 patients, including 10 in the ICU, according to Mark Steele, executive chief clinical officer.
“We have seen a little tick down in the number of cases,” Steele said.
Raghu Adiga, chief medical officer at Liberty Hospital, said the hospital hit a high of 15 to 20 patients a couple weeks ago, but there have been discharges since then.
They currently have eight patients with three in the ICU.
Adiga said patients have reported being exposed to the coronavirus through social gatherings and family clusters, and the hospital has had patients transferred from rural areas.
Children’s Mercy does not have any patients with COVID-19, said Angela Myers, director of infectious diseases.
Three deaths were reported Monday in Kansas City, raising the metro’s total to 510.
On Monday, Missouri reported 114,307 cases to date, including 1,807 deaths. The seven-day positive test rate was 11.6%. The overall positive test rate was 9%.
Kansas has recorded 53,959 cases, including 600 deaths. The monthly positive test rate was 7.4%, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
Across the U.S., more than 6.8 million people have contracted the virus and nearly 200,000 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University.
