Kansas City metro sees 2,190 new COVID-19 cases Thursday as testing demand rises
The Kansas City area is continuing to experience a spike in COVID-19 cases that tops last winter’s peak numbers. On Thursday, Dec. 30, local officials reported 2,190 new cases in the metro area. The Kansas City Health Department predicts that actual case numbers in the city are as much as ten times that amount.
“Due to the use of the at-home tests and rapid antigen testing, the true infection count is likely 7-10 times higher than the confirmed cases,” the department said in a statement released on Twitter. It recorded 1,750 new cases between Dec. 19 and Dec. 25 in the city of Kansas City.
The larger metro area is averaging around 1,170 new cases per day, according to data collected by The Star. That’s nearly at the level of last year’s peak average, 1,199. If current trends continue, the city could reach record high daily averages as soon as tomorrow, Dec. 31.
“Our daily count is 2.5 times higher than our weekly totals in June,” the Kansas City Health Department wrote. “June 2021 was the best (lowerst) month of the pandemic with 102 cases in the entire first week.”
While cases are climbing steeply, death rates are not currently rising in tandem. The past week has seen an average of six deaths per day, which is less than half of peak average numbers last winter.
It will likely be two or three weeks before data shows the deaths, or lack thereof, resulting from the cases being reported now. We’ll cover that story as the data unfolds.
While an increase in testing may be contributing to rising case numbers, local municipalities only report test results shared with their health departments by clinics, labs and testing sites. Many Kansas City residents are now taking rapid tests at home, which government data does not record.
The rise in cases also comes in spite of a test shortage in the Kansas City area. Residents faced hours-long lines at testing locations and empty shelves at pharmacies on Thursday, Dec. 30, as the state of Missouri announced that it had run out of free home testing kits to send to residents.
If you’re still looking for a test, check our recently updated guide to testing resources in Kansas City. Once you take your test, here’s what to do. You may be carrying the virus even if you never feel ill, so exercise caution and maintain a six-foot distance from others whenever possible.
If you begin to feel seriously ill or have any trouble breathing, call 911 and seek medical attention immediately.
Do you have more questions about local COVID-19 data or staying safe during the pandemic in Kansas City? Ask our Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com or fill out the form below.
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