Kansas City metro adds over 500 new COVID-19 cases and 7 deaths
The Kansas City metropolitan area added more than 500 new COVID-19 cases and seven deaths on Monday.
The area encompassing Kansas City and Jackson, Clay and Platte counties in Missouri and Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas gained 529 cases for a total of 107,613 to date.
The seven-day average for new cases was 725. One week ago, the average was 852 and two weeks ago, it was 996.
Doctors at The University of Kansas Health System said the decline in new cases could in part be attributed to delayed reporting and decreased testing from the holidays, but that other measures like masks appear to be working effectively. Last month, a mask mandate in Kansas was broadened. Kansas City and surrounding jurisdictions also implemented stricter rules on gatherings and restaurant capacity.
Five deaths were reported Monday in Johnson County, one was in Wyandotte County and one was in Clay County, raising the metro’s total to 1,306.
The University of Kansas Health System reported 56 hospitalizations including 24 patients in the intensive care unit with 18 on ventilators.
“Looking at the numbers around the nation and the numbers in our region, I think we have some room to be optimistic,” said Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control at the health system.
On Monday, Kansas confirmed 216,062 cases including 2,548 deaths. There were 554 hospitalizations with 36% of ICU beds available. The monthly positive test rate was 12.9%.
Missouri reported 383,616 cases including 5,316 deaths. There were 2,429 hospitalizations with 27% of ICU beds remaining. The seven-day positive test rate was 16.8%.
Across the country, more than 19.2 million people have contracted the virus and 334,025 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University.
