Kansas City metro records highest number of COVID deaths in a week with more than 80
More than 80 people have reportedly died of COVID-19 in the past week in the Kansas City metro, the most of any one-week period since the pandemic began.
The area encompassing Kansas City and Jackson, Clay and Platte counties in Missouri, as well as Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas, has recorded a total of 735 deaths.
October has seen 163 deaths, with 81 reported from Oct. 20-26, according to data maintained by The Star. The second highest number of weekly deaths came during the first week of September when 55 were confirmed.
More than 49,600 COVID-19 cases have been identified in the metro as of Monday.
“We are now what looks like moving into our third wave of this outbreak and that’s very, very concerning,” said Rex Archer, director of the Kansas City Health Department. “We’re very concerned about this surge and as we move more and more indoors, this is going to become even more problematic.”
The death rate is likely higher than the official number because some people have died at home and were not tested for the virus, according to Archer.
He said no one over age 50 or with an underlying health condition should be going out to restaurants or bars.
“That’s not a wise or prudent decision,” Archer told The Star.
The University of Kansas Health System said it has had more COVID-19 deaths at its hospital in October than any other month.
“October has been the most deadly month of the pandemic for us,” said David Wild, vice president of performance improvement.
The average age of people who have been hospitalized and died was 72 in March and April, according to the health system. That number decreased to 63 in September and October.
However, the health system’s overall mortality rate has dropped from 12% to 5%.
Daily spikes in the number of reported deaths may occur after health officials review death certificates, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has previously said.
This story was originally published October 26, 2020 at 7:29 PM.
