Average for new COVID cases in KC metro drops again, but doctors say remain vigilant
The Kansas City metropolitan area added 170 more COVID-19 cases Thursday, further driving down the average for new cases to levels not seen since June.
The area encompassing Kansas City and Jackson, Clay and Platte counties in Missouri and Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas has recorded a total of 139,189 cases to date.
The seven-day average for daily new cases dropped to 119. One week ago, the average sat at 188 and two weeks ago, it was 210, according to data maintained by The Star. The metro’s average has not been this low since June 22. The rolling average peaked on Nov. 23 at 1,199 cases.
Five deaths were reported Thursday. Three were in Wyandotte County and two were in Johnson County, raising the metro’s total to 2,026.
The University of Kansas Health System had 14 patients being treated for the virus, down one from Wednesday. Three were in the intensive care unit with one on a ventilator.
“In the moment, I think we’re doing very good and we have been on our seven-day running average of cases in the Kansas City area,” said Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control. “But we always have to be vigilant and continue to monitor and understand that at any point in time, it could increase.”
On Thursday, Missouri confirmed 479,536 cases and 8,150 deaths to date. The seven-day positive test rate was 4.5%.
The state has administered 1,400,798 doses of the vaccine, covering 15% of the population, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said. Missouri has received 1,900,855 doses with 1,458,439 administered, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Numbers differ due to a lag in reporting.
Kansas reported 295,109 cases and 4,816 deaths. The monthly positive test rate was 2.7%.
The state has distributed 939,890 doses of the vaccine and administered 614,166, covering 14.1% of the population, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
Across the country, more than 28.7 million people have contracted the virus and 519,316 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University.
