Five more coronavirus deaths and 80 new cases reported in Kansas City metro area
Five more deaths and 80 new cases of the coronavirus were reported Friday in the Kansas City metropolitan area.
A total of 1,097 cases have been identified in Kansas City as well as Jackson, Clay and Platte counties in Missouri, and Johnson and Wyandotte counties on the Kansas side.
One month ago, there was only one case.
Forty-four deaths have been reported in the metro area, with 20 of those in Wyandotte County. There are now 300 positive cases in that county, up 40 from Thursday’s report.
Ten of those deaths are linked to Riverbend Post Acute Rehabilitation in Kansas City, Kansas.
Friday’s numbers also show that 92 people connected to the facility — 84 residents and eight staff members — have tested positive for COVID-19. Four residents are still hospitalized.
Dana Hawkinson, a medical director at the University of Kansas Health System, said the number of coronavirus patients at the hospital has begun to creep up again.
“This weekend is vitally crucial, whether it’s a religious gathering or a secular gathering, it doesn’t matter, it’s still a gathering of people,” he said. “That number could exponentially increase if we are not vigilant, if we are not staying away — social distancing, physical distancing.”
Johnson County officials reported 16 new confirmed cases Friday morning, bringing the total confirmed cases there to 263, with 12 deaths.
On Friday, Kansas reported a total of 1,166 cases and 50 deaths. Missouri confirmed 3,799 cases and 96 deaths.
Both states are under stay-at-home orders.
