KC health officials investigate 6 potentially heat-related deaths as temperatures soar
Kansas City health officials are investigating six deaths to determine whether they were related to high temperatures that have engulfed the metro area this month.
No heat-related deaths have been confirmed in Kansas City, health department spokeswoman Michelle Pekarsky said Friday. But six deaths are under investigation and could have been heat-related.
Pekarsky said the health department is investigating five deaths in July as possibly heat-related: a 34-year-old man, a 24-year-old man, a 60-year-old woman, a 70-year-old woman and a 46-year-old man.
They are also investigating the death of a 73-year-old man in June, Pekarsky said.
The health department will not know with certainty whether the deaths were heat-related until a final cause of death is determined.
The Kansas City Health Department investigates heat-related deaths for Clay, Platte and Jackson counties, regardless of whether the resident was from Kansas City proper or not, Pekarsky said.
Kansas City saw heat indexes near 100 degrees throughout the week. Friday and Saturday will continue to be hot and humid, with heat indexes up to 109 degrees. A cold front will move through the area on Sunday, bringing cooler temperatures for areas north of Interstate 70.
The weather service said several chances for rain next week will bring cooler temperatures through Thursday, with highs in the 80s and 90s.
