KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, continues to spread across the world, and in Missouri and Kansas.
41 Action News is keeping track of all closings and cancellations, as well as tracking where positive coronavirus cases are located.
If you are a business finding unique ways to serve our community, check our KC Open for Business Facebook group to share your ideas.
Updates on the spread of the virus and how it is affecting the metro can be found below for August 7.
5:31 p.m. | The 17th annual Kansas City Zoo Run, which was scheduled for Sept. 26, will be a virtual event due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A fundraiser in conjunction with the event will be launched Aug. 12.
Refunds and deferments will not be offered “due to up-front costs such as medals and T-shirts,” organizers said in a release.
A portion of all entry fees supports Friends of the Zoo. All participants also received a “Run for the Sloths” T-shirt and medal, one free entry to be used before Dec. 31, 2020 and featured Strava routes to use for the virtual event.
4:30 p.m. | The seven-county Kansas City metro added 609 new COVID-19 cases on Friday. It's the eighth day with an increase of more than 600 new cases, all since July 15. Four new deaths also were reported in the metro.
In Kansas, data from state and local health departments show an increase of 859 new cases and one death. In Missouri, 995 new cases were reported and 22 additional deaths. 41 Action News is tracking COVID-19 numbers across the metro and in Kansas and Missouri.
2:18 p.m. | Benedict College says all students returning to campus will have access to saliva-based COVID-19 cases.
In a statement, the university said it "completed an agreement with an area laboratory that will allow mass testing on its campus without impacting testing supplies within the city."
The tests will be self-supervised and will be conducted as students move in over the next 10 days.
2:08 p.m. | Cinemark Holdings Inc. says movie fanatics will have the opportunity to return to some theaters starting Friday, Aug. 14.
The company says select theaters across the U.S. will open under new guidelines. These include staggered show times and wearing masks.
Two locations in the Kansas City metro are among the theaters opening.
This includes the Cinemark 20 and XD located at 5500 Antioch Road in Merriam.
The full details of the reopening can be found on the company website.
2:01 p.m. | Johnson County will receive $30 million in COVID-19 relief funds, and officials want your help to decide how they'll use the funds.
The county wants to hear your story on the struggles you've faced during the pandemic.
A link to the survey can be found here:
English: https://ourtomorro.ws/JoCoStories
Spanish: https://ourtomorro.ws/JoCoStories_es
10:15 a.m. | Kansas State University has released a list of steps students must take before returning to campus for the fall semester in order to mitigate COVID-19 spread.
Unlike the University of Kansas, students and staff will not have to get a COVID-19 test before returning to classes.
9:15 a.m. | The coronavirus pandemic has caused Waste Management of Kansas to suspend the collection of yard waste for residential customers in Shawnee, Overland Park, Lenexa, Merriam, Leawood, Olathe, Blue Springs and Independence.
The suspension takes effect Aug. 10.
8:50 a.m. | University of Kansas Health System officials gave their daily COVID-19 update.
7:55 a.m. | The United States added 1.8 million jobs in July, a pullback from the gains of May and June, and evidence that the resurgent coronavirus is stalling hiring and slowing an economic rebound.
7:35 a.m. | The Kansas City, Missouri, City Council’s Finance, Governance and Public Safety Committee is set to review a resolution that would call on the city manager to develop a plan for one-week furloughs for city staff.
There is no timeline for the committee to approve the resolution, which would also require the full council to approve the measure, but once passed, the city manager would have one week to produce the plan.
Earlier this summer, city departments were asked to run scenarios on different percentage cuts to their budgets.
7:20 a.m. | Just starting your day? We’ve got you covered with a quick look at what you need to know.
5:30 a.m. | The Lee’s Summit R-7 School District will have its first day of school on Sept. 8.
The district will determine whether instruction will be virtual or in-person, based on guidance from the Jackson County Health Department, according to Executive Director of Public Relations for the district Katy Bergen.
The rate of community spread of COVID-19 needs to improve or the health department will recommend all students get virtual instruction to begin the school year.
Bergen said the district will rely on the health department to determine when it would be safe to allow students back in the school buildings.
5 a.m. | Missouri Job Centers are slowly reopening to help displaced workers find employment.
The Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development announced the office in St. Joseph is now reopened.
People who are interested in the department's services must make an appointment before going to the building.
Virtual services can also be found here.
Previous coverage:
March 2020 updates
April 2020 updates
May 2020 updates
June 2020 updates
July 2020 updates
Monday, August 3
Tuesday, August 4
Wednesday, August 5
Thursday, August 6
