KC metro adds more than 375 COVID-19 cases as seven-day average for new cases rises
The seven-day average for new COVID-19 cases in the Kansas City metro continues to climb as 377 more cases were added Thursday.
The area encompassing Kansas City and Jackson, Clay and Platte counties in Missouri and Johnson and Wyandotte counties on the Kansas side has recorded 37,824 cases to date.
The seven-day average for new cases was 327, the highest it has been in three weeks. On Wednesday, which saw 306 new cases, the average was 319. Two weeks ago, the average was 265.
The University of Kansas Health System reported 21 patients hospitalized for the virus, down five from Wednesday.
The death rate in Wyandotte County is four times higher than in Kansas City and Johnson County, Juliann Van Liew, director of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and KCK Public Health, said during a briefing hosted by the health system.
Reasons, according to Van Liew, include the prevalence of preexisting health problems and jobs that require close contact, as well as language and transportation challenges that can be barriers for care.
Wyandotte County has reported 134 deaths. Johnson County has the most of any area within the metro at 146. That’s followed by Kansas City at 123, Jackson County at 92, Clay County at 41 and Platte County at 10.
Three new deaths were added Thursday with one each in Kansas City and Jackson and Johnson counties, raising the metro’s total to 546.
On Thursday, Missouri confirmed 118,311 cases, including 1,952 deaths. The seven-day positive test rate was 11.7%.
Kansas reported 55,226 cases, including 621 deaths. The monthly positive test rate was 7.4%.
Across the country, more than 6.9 million people have contracted the virus and 202,404 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University.
This story was originally published September 24, 2020 at 3:20 PM.
