KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Officials said Thursday that a woman in her 70s became Kansas City, Missouri’s first resident to die of COVID-19.
In a release, officials with the city’s health department said the woman was admitted to the hospital on March 25 and died on Thursday.
Officials said the woman was already in critical condition, which made gathering details about the virus’ progression or any underlying health conditions difficult.
Another person at the woman’s home tested positive for COVID-19. The city said health department workers are working to learn if others need to be tested.
“We can’t imagine the grief her family and friends are going through right now,” KCMO Director of Health Dr. Rex Archer said in the release. “We knew this day was coming and we will have more hard days to come. We need to take care of one another and take seriously the stay-at-home order.”
Kansas City has reported 143 cases of COVID-19 as of Thursday afternoon.
The woman’s death is the 13th in the metro and the 22nd in Missouri.
