Kansas City area continues record-breaking COVID-19 cases for fourth day in a row
For the fourth day in a row, Kansas City is reporting record-breaking averages for new cases of COVID-19.
The metropolitan area, which includes Kansas City and Jackson, Clay and Platte counties in Missouri, and Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas, added 545 cases on Tuesday for a total of 54,403. The seven-day average of cases is now at 616 — the highest it has hit during the pandemic.
At this time last week, the seven-day average was 421. The week before, it was at 485.
The virus has killed 810 people in the metro.
The high case counts come as hospitals, including Stormont Vail Health hospital in Topeka, hit their highest patient totals yet. Stormont reported having 44 patients hospitalized Monday. That number dropped to 40 by Tuesday morning.
Kansas City added 145 new cases for a total of 15,738. The city also added nine deaths, bringing the total to 222. Jackson County reported 116 new cases — 10,893 total — and two new deaths of COVID-19.
Clay and Platte counties added 40 and 16 cases for a total of 2,841 and 1,083 cases, respectively.
Johnson County added 196 cases for a total of 15,340 and six additional deaths. There have been 219 deaths in the county.
The new cases of COVID-19 in Johnson County have pushed it into the “red” zone, meaning the health department advises all students should learn remotely. Officials haven’t made that recommendation yet.
Wyandotte County reported 32 new cases, bringing the county’s total to 8,508.
Kansas City is reporting a positive testing rate of about 10% with Jackson County at about 11%. Clay and Platte counties are reporting rates of about 12% each, according to statistics from the state health department.
Wyandotte County reported a positive test rate of about 17.6%, with Johnson County reporting about 10.4%.
Statewide, Missouri has reported 190,424 cases and 3,064 deaths, according to number from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
Kansas has reported 89,227 cases and 1,046 deaths, according to numbers from the Department of Health and Environment.
