KC metro adds more than 1,000 COVID-19 cases and 13 deaths as vaccine approval nears
The Kansas City metro area added more than 1,000 new coronavirus cases Friday, as the FDA moves closer to authorization of a vaccine and doctors warn that such news is not a reason to lessen existing precautions.
The area encompassing Kansas City and Jackson, Clay and Platte counties in Missouri, and Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas added 1,227 new cases Friday, bringing the area to 93,987 total cases of the rapidly spreading virus.
The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,074. Last week the average was 886. Two weeks ago it was 1,094.
Thirteen new coronavirus-related deaths were reported: 11 in Johnson County, one in Jackson county and one in Kansas City. At least 1,130 people in the metro area have died from the virus so far.
The University of Kansas Health System is currently treating 101 people who have the virus, hospital officials announced in a briefing Friday. That is just one shy of the system’s record high of 102 patients. Forty-five of those patients are in the ICU with 27 on ventilators. An additional 62 patients who are no longer in the acute infection phase remain hospitalized from the virus.
David Wild, vice president of performance improvement at the hospital system, said he was optimistic about the Pfizer vaccine moving closer to FDA authorization but warned it would be months before the majority of the population is vaccinated.
“We’ve talked a lot about light at the end of a tunnel but a long tunnel and a lot of work to do,” Wild said.
Even after a majority of people are vaccinated, health system officials said on the briefing, vaccinated individuals will have some ability to spread the virus so mask wearing and social distancing will remain important.
Additionally, Tim Williamson, vice president of quality and safety, said patients will need two doses of the virus it will be “a couple months” after their first dose before they are immune to the virus.
On Friday, Missouri listed 338,604 cases, including 4,481 deaths. The positive test rate was 18.7%.
When Kansas reported numbers Friday, there were 185,294 cases, including 2,072 deaths. The positive test rate was 16.4%.
Nationwide, the virus has infected more than 15.7 million people, killing more than 293 thousand, according to Johns Hopkins University.
This story was originally published December 11, 2020 at 4:59 PM.
