Death rates rise in Kansas City metro as surging COVID case numbers overwhelm hospitals
Death rates appear to be rising as the latest surge of COVID-19 cases overwhelms hospitals in Kansas City and beyond.
Eighty-seven COVID-19 deaths were reported in Kansas City in the past week, bringing the death total up to 3,516 since the pandemic began. That’s more than twice the 40 deaths recorded last week.
Seven-day average death rates have risen into the double digits for the first time during this winter’s surge. Forty deaths were reported on Tuesday, Jan. 11 alone, bringing the average to 12.4 deaths per day over the last seven days.
Local officials have reported 24,875 new COVID-19 cases in the past week, bringing the total number of cases in Kansas City up to 277,001 since the pandemic began.
As of Tuesday, the rolling average of new COVID-19 cases across the metro area is around 3,554 per day over seven days, according to data tracked by The Star. That’s higher than last week’s average of 2,120.
What do these numbers mean for hospitals?
The University of Kansas Health System is treating 119 patients with active COVID-19 infections as of Tuesday, Jan. 11. Twenty-three of these patients are in the ICU, with 16 on ventilators. That’s higher than last week’s count of 80 active cases.
Doctors at The University of Kansas Health System held a press briefing on Monday, Jan. 10, warning that emergency rooms are filling rapidly, and hospital capacity is straining under the recent case surge. At 119 active infections, the hospital hit a record Monday for the most COVID-19 patients at one time during the pandemic.
Infectious disease specialist Dr. Dana Hawkinson noted that all variants of COVID-19 have the potential to cause serious illness. His colleague Dr. Steven Stites, the hospital’s chief medical officer, agreed.
“I’m guessing that we’re going to see a combination on hospitalizations of delta and omicron, but the majority of spread in the community is still omicron,” Stites said. “My fear is what is going to happen with all the omicron inside nursing homes and some of these other places where folks are more vulnerable.”
Of the 119 patients that the University of Kansas Health System is currently treating for COVID-19, 13 are fully vaccinated. Most of the COVID-19 patients in area hospitals are not vaccinated.
Getting a full course of vaccines and a booster shot remain the most effective way to stay safe from the virus. Vaccinations and booster shots are available for free at clinics around the Kansas City area.
Do you have more questions about staying safe from COVID-19 in Kansas City? Ask our Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com or fill out the form below.
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