While vaccine nears, Kansas City metro adds over 1,000 COVID cases for 3rd straight day
The Kansas City metro area exceeded 1,000 new cases of the coronavirus for the third straight day Saturday as the average number of new cases per day continued to rise. Ten new deaths were reported.
The area encompassing Kansas City and Jackson, Clay and Platte counties in Missouri, and Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas added 1,216 new cases Saturday, bringing the area to a 87,682 total cases of the rapidly spreading virus.
The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 965. Last week the average was 1,003. Two weeks ago it was 1,185. On Tuesday, the average dropped to 852, it’s lowest point in weeks, before beginning to rise again.
Ten new coronavirus-related deaths were reported: five in Johnson County, four in Jackson County, and one in Kansas City. At least 1,074 people in the metro area have died from the virus so far.
The increases come as state governments begin to reveal plans for distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine once it is approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Department of Health and Senior Services Director Randall Williams said Friday that he expects to be able to vaccinate all residents of Missouri nursing homes and healthcare workers set to receive priority access by the end of December.
On Saturday, Missouri listed 318,422 cases, including 4,181 deaths.
The positive test rate was 20.5%.
When Kansas last reported numbers Friday, there were 168,295 cases, including 1,786 deaths.
The positive test rate was 18%.
Nationwide, the virus has infected more than 14.5 million people, killing more than 280,000, according to Johns Hopkins University.
