‘Real life or death issue’: KC metro sees nearly 1,000 new COVID-19 cases, 29 deaths
As Kansas City continues to see uncontrolled spread of COVID-19, health officials bemoan the fact that the pandemic has become politicized.
Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control at The University of Kansas Health System, said during a daily COVID-19 briefing that there’s “indisputable evidence” that both cloth and surgical masks work.
His comments came Tuesday as the Kansas City metropolitan area added nearly 1,000 COVID-19 cases. Hospitals in the region continue to report record numbers of patients being treated for the virus.
The area encompassing Kansas City and Jackson, Clay and Platte counties in Missouri and Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas gained 986 cases for a total of 76,893 to date.
The seven-day average for new cases was 1,156. One week ago, it was 1,091. Two weeks ago, it was 965, according to data maintained by The Star.
Twenty-nine more deaths were reported Tuesday. With 14 new deaths reported, Kansas City saw the largest increase. Meanwhile, two deaths were in Clay County, four were in Jackson County and nine were in Johnson County, raising the metro’s total to 982.
Steve Stites, chief medical officer at The University of Kansas Health system, said too many people have politicized the disease, which he said “shows a lack of moral compass.”
“This is a real life and death issue and it doesn’t care if you’re a Democrat or a Republican ...,” Stites said. “I think that what we have to understand is that we are all in this together.”
On Tuesday, Missouri reported 278,661 cases including 3,750 deaths. There were 2,680 patients admitted to hospitals in Missouri and 17% of ICU beds remained. The seven-day positive test rate was 20.3%.
Missouri’s totals included 161 deaths that previously had not been reported, but that the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services linked to COVID-19 after analyzing death certificates. One of the 161 deaths occurred in September, 41 occurred in October and 119 occurred earlier this month.
Kansas confirmed 142,059 cases including 1,456 deaths. There were 896 patients admitted to hospitals statewide and 36% of ICU beds available. The monthly positive test rate was 19%.
The University of Kansas Health System reported a slight drop in COVID-19 patients on Tuesday, a day after a record 100 patients were hospitalized with the active virus. Of the 93 patients that were hospitalized with the active virus on Tuesday, 44 were in the intensive care unit with 23 on ventilators.
Across the country, more than 12.5 million people have contracted the virus and 258,827 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University.
This story was originally published November 24, 2020 at 3:34 PM.
