KC metro adds over 140 COVID-19 cases, rolling average ‘excellent,’ local doctor says
The Kansas City metropolitan area added nearly 150 COVID-19 cases as the rolling average for new cases remained steady around 100.
The area encompassing Kansas City and Jackson, Clay and Platte counties in Missouri and Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas gained 144 cases for a total of 139,731 cases to date.
The seven-day average for new cases was 102. One week ago, the average sat at 127 while two weeks ago, it was 194, according to data maintained by The Star.
“The rolling seven-day average is excellent,” said Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection control and prevention at the University of Kansas Health System. “The last couple days it’s kind of plateaued just around 100. Let’s hope that plateau stays or decreases.”
The health system had eight patients hospitalized for the coronavirus, down from 11 on Tuesday. Two patients were in the intensive care unit with one on a ventilator.
The metro added nine deaths. Three were in Kansas City, one was in Jackson County and five were in Johnson County, raising the area’s total to 2,058.
On Wednesday, Kansas confirmed a total of 297,229 cases including 4,851 deaths. The monthly positive test rate was 2.9%, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment said.
The state has distributed 1,112,250 doses of the vaccine and administered 740,850 shots, covering 16.9% of the population.
Missouri reported 481,694 cases including 8,297 deaths. The seven-day positive test rate was 4.3%.
The state has administered 1,608,386 doses of the vaccine, covering 17.2% of the population, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Missouri has received 2,197,225 vaccine doses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
Across the country, more than 29.1 million people have contracted the virus and 527,950 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University.
