KANSAS CITY, Mo. — We have been tracking the spread of COVID-19 in the Kansas City area since the start of the pandemic.
Whether it's stories about how we bounce back through our Rebound KC effort, important information as school resumes or critical information about the November election, trust 41 Action News to keep you informed.
Businesses finding unique ways to serve our community can share ideas and connect on our KC Open for Business Facebook group.
Updates on the spread of the virus and how it is affecting the metro can be found below for Sept. 22.
5:44 p.m. | There were 12 more deaths reported Tuesday by local health departments across Kansas, bringing the state’s total to 612 since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
From March through August, there were five days when state and local health departments in Kansas reported at least 10 deaths and only one when more than 18 deaths were reported — 18 on May 5, according to the 41 Action News daily COVID-19 tracker.
There have now been seven days in september with at least 10 deaths reported, including two days with more than 20 deaths reported and five days with more than 11 deaths reported. —TP
4:47 p.m. | Missouri reported the most deaths for any single day during the COVID-19 pandemic Tuesday, according to state and local health department data.
There were 49 new deaths reported, according to the 41 Action News daily COVID-19 tracker.
More than 40 deaths had only been recorded two other times — 42 on June 18 and 41 on May 30 — in Missouri history.
There have now been 10 days in September alone with at least 20 deaths reported after there were only 21 during the first six months of the pandemic from March through August.
Missouri also reported 2,106 new cases on Tuesday, which is the second most for any single day since the start of the pandemic.
All three days Missouri has reported 2,000 or more new cases have come since Sept. 11. —TP
4 p.m. | The Starlight Theatre will host a second blood drive in partnership with other area organizations as shows remain canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The blood drive will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 23, and Thursday, Sept. 24. Appointments are strongly encouraged and can be made online (use code EG9Z) or by calling 1-877-468-6844.
The Starlight Theatre held its first blood drive in July. —AW
3 p.m. | The U.S. death toll from the coronavirus has topped 200,000, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, which tallies the figures from state health authorities. The Associated Press reports that the U.S. has the highest COVID-19 death toll in the world, and the actual number of deaths could be much higher. —AW
2 p.m. | The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued new guidelines ahead of Halloween.
The recommendations say people should avoid higher-risk activities, including traditional trick-or-treating, costume parties, indoor haunted houses, hayrides or tractor rides with people outside your household, and traveling to rural fall festivals outside of your community.
Find the full list of guidelines on the CDC's website. —AW
Noon | The IRS may still owe stimulus checks to as many as 9 million people who don't typically file federal tax returns.
That includes more than 159,000 people in Missouri and 69,000 in Kansas who did not file returns in 2018 or 2019.
10 a.m. | A Des Moines-based company is opening a rapid COVID-19 testing site at Oak Park Mall in Overland Park.
Health Gauge will charge $80 per test for a same-day appointment to be tested. Patients can expect to have their results back in less than an hour, the company said in a news release.
The testing site will be located between JCPenney and Noodles and Company. — HG
7:45 a.m. | Just starting your day? We’ve got you covered with a quick look at what you need to know. — HG
7:30 a.m. | The bad cases of COVID-19 often end up in headlines, but doctors say for every hospitalization, there are several outpatient cases with mild symptoms. Currently, there is no treatment or medication for those patients.
Tuesday, researchers at The University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) will begin a clinical trial to test how a new treatment helps those people with mild COVID-19 symptoms recover. It’s called monoclonal antibody. Researchers will give participants one injection and monitor their progress.
7 a.m. | Dr. Dana Hawkinson joined 41 Action News this morning to talk about updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that's causing some confusion. — HG
Previous coverage:
March 2020 updates
April 2020 updates
May 2020 updates
June 2020 updates
July 2020 updates
August 2020 updates
Monday, Sept. 21
