Kansas City metro reports nearly 400 new COVID-19 cases as average continues to rise
The Kansas City metropolitan area gained nearly 400 new COVID-19 cases as the daily average for new cases continues to creep up.
The area encompassing Kansas City and Jackson, Clay and Platte counties in Missouri and Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas gained 389 cases for a total of 39,574 to date.
The seven-day average for new cases was below 300 from Sept. 7 to 18, but has been increasing. Two weeks ago, it was 280. One week ago, it was 302. On Tuesday, it stood at 348, according to data maintained by The Star.
On Monday, Missouri released a new COVID-19 dashboard which includes the seven-day positive test rates for individual jurisdictions.
The rate was 12.4% in Kansas City, 9.3% in Jackson County, 9.1% in Clay County and 12.7% in Platte County. The rate was 14.8% in Wyandotte County while Johnson County’s 14-day rate was 12.3%, according to the counties’ health department websites.
However the number of cases in Kansas City on the state’s new dashboard is not an “accurate depiction,” the Kansas City Health Department said Tuesday. According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, some of Kansas City’s case numbers were shifted to surrounding counties.
The department is aware of the “data quality issue” and is working through a geocoding process to assign the cases to the proper county or jurisdiction, spokeswoman Lisa Cox said.
Nine new deaths were reported Tuesday, raising the metro’s total to 571.
The University of Kansas Health System reported 28 patients hospitalized for the virus, down five from Monday.
On Tuesday, Missouri reported 124,762 cases including 2,086 deaths. Data from the past seven days shows Missouri is seventh in the country for new cases and has a positive test rate of 13.6%.
Kansas has at least 58,629 cases and 637 deaths. Its weekly positive test rate was 8.34%. People in the 18 to 24 age group had a 15.93% positive test rate, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
Across the U.S., more than 7.1 million people have been infected with the virus and 205,676 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University.
