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 July 14.
10:53 p.m. | One day after Kansas topped 1,000 new cases for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic, so did Missouri. Based on state and local health department reports, there were 1,160 new cases reported Tuesday in Missouri, a new single-day record, and 11 deaths.
8:51 p.m. | The Piper USD 203 School District has shut down its summer athletics workouts for two weeks after a second positive COVID-19 case among student-athletes.
“In the interest of keeping our students and coaches safe and healthy, we have made the difficult decision to suspend all sports and conditioning effective Wednesday, July 15 through July 29,” Superintendent Dr. Jessica Dain wrote in a message on Facebook. “At this time it is our intent to resume activities on Thursday, July 30. We will continue to provide updates should there be any changes to this plan.
Wyandotte County health officials are helping with contact tracing, but Dain also asked parents to speak with their children about the importance of hand washing, mask wearing, social distancing and staying home when sick.
8:28 p.m. | A new report, which relies on data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suggests that Kansas has plenty of work to do in combating the spread of COVID-19. Wyandotte County officials say the infection rate there has reached a new high in July.
6:47 p.m. | Medical professionals say people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are five times more likely to contract COVID-19.
6:10 p.m. | Wyandotte County has added new amendments to its mask order, which include a requirement that athletes must wear a mask while exercising indoors, whether at a gym or during team sports activities.
Outdoor exercise remains exempt from the mask requirement.
Another amendment to the order requires all staff and children over the age of 5 to wear a mask in day care, child care or educational settings.
Previous exemptions to the mask requirement remain in effect.
The amended order goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, July 15.
5:45 p.m. | During his regularly-scheduled media briefing Tuesday, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson defended recent photos posted on his social media feeds showing the governor in social gatherings while not wearing a mask.
4:45 p.m. | Apple plans to close its stores on the Country Club Plaza and in Leawood due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns, with plans to reopen "as soon as it’s safe to do so." Both stores will remain open for pickup of existing online orders and previously scheduled in-store Genius Support appointments made through Thursday, July 16.
3:50 p.m. | Tax procrastinators, your time is running out. As the coronavirus pandemic took hold this spring, the federal government postponed the traditional April 15 filing deadline until July 15. Taxpayers must file or seek an extension by the new deadline or face a penalty.
2:45 p.m. | Starting tomorrow, officials with the Jackson County government and area churches will begin distributing 100,000 masks to help limit the spread of coronavirus.
With the county remaining in a reopening phase that requires masks be worn in public indoor and public outdoor spaces, officials are hopeful the mask distribution can give residents extra resources.
2:25 p.m. | The Trump administration has rescinded a rule that would have required international students to transfer schools or leave the country if their colleges hold classes entirely online this fall because of the coronavirus pandemic.
2:20 p.m. | Missouri added 635 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday and reported four additional deaths, according to data from state and local health departments. Those numbers come one day after the state added 16 deaths and 970 new cases.
2:05 p.m. | The Southeastern Conference says it will postpone the start of volleyball, soccer and cross country competition through at least Aug. 31.
In a statement, the SEC says the decision provides "additional time to prepare for the safe return of competition on an adjusted timeline." The delay includes all exhibition and non-conference games.
1:45 p.m. | Kansas has removed Alabama, Arkansas and South Carolina from its quarantine list because their growth rates no longer significantly surpass the rate in Kansas. Dr. Lee Norman, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said the states' removal from the quarantine list "isn't cause for celebration."
12:35 p.m. | The B.E. Smith Family Center on the AdventHealth Shawnee Mission campus says one child who attends the center has tested positive for COVID-19. Children and teachers who may have been exposed are not allowed to attend the program for 14 days and are being asked to quarantine at home.
In a statement, AdventHealth says the child was not symptomatic while in care at the center but became symptomatic at home.
"We have been preparing for the possibility of a positive case among our students and/or team members since March and we have worked with Kansas Department of Health and Environment and Kansas Child Care Licensing to determine the next course of action," AdventHealth said in a statement.
12:25 p.m. | The Kansas Department of Labor says it has added call center representatives and more IT staff to address what Gov. Laura Kelly called "major issues and missteps" in its response to handling unemployment claims.
KDOL says it also has a new online virtual agent named "Amelia" that can answer frequently asked unemployment questions.
12:10 p.m. | The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus is rising sharply in some areas near St. Louis, and hospitalizations in the region are starting to increase too. Data from the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force shows that the seven-day average for coronavirus-related hospitalizations in the region is now 28, the highest it has been since mid-May, according to an Associated Press report.
10:40 a.m. | The U.S.-Canada border will remain closed until Aug. 21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report. The ban on non-essential travel, which has been in place since March 20, was set to expire on July 21.
10:25 a.m. | The Johnson County Library is partnering with Catholic Charities to serve summer meals to children 18 and under. Up to five breakfast and five lunch meals will be provided per eligible child. The next event will be held from 10-11 a.m. Wednesday, July 15, at the library's Antioch branch, 8700 Shawnee Mission Parkway in Merriam.
Other distributions will be held every Wednesday through July 29, all from 10-11 a.m.
9:30 a.m. | On Monday, 17 states and the District of Columbia announced a lawsuit against the Trump administration over a federal plan to revoke foreign student visas if those students only take online classes.
Along with D.C., the lawsuit was filed by these states: Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin. California also has filed a similar lawsuit.
Last week, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced international students would have to return home or risk deportation if their universities switch to online-only courses come fall and they cannot find alternative plans.
8:45 a.m. | University of Kansas Health System officials gave their daily COVID-19 update and were joined by a man who survived a very severe case of COVID-19.
7:20 a.m. | Just starting your day? We’ve got you covered with a quick look at what you need to know.
7:15 a.m. | Dr. Dana Hawkinson with the University of Kansas Health System joined 41 Action News to answer questions about COVID-19 testing developments.
5:30 a.m. | The Kansas City, Missouri, Health Department, and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services are holding a three-day COVID-19 testing event for Missouri residents that continues Tuesday. Testing will be held at the Homefield Sports Facility from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Wednesday. Up to 2,000 tests are available by appointment. As of Monday, those spots were all filled.
5 a.m. | The Johnson County Election Office says it has received nearly 90,000 applications to vote by mail in the Aug. 4 primary. That figure is higher than the entire turnout in the last three August primary elections held in 2016, 2012 and 2008.
Voter registration for the August election ends Tuesday, July 14.
Previous coverage:
March 2020 updates
April 2020 updates
May 2020 updates
June 2020 updates
Wednesday, July 1
Thursday, July 2
Friday, July 3
Monday, July 6
Tuesday, July 7
Wednesday, July 8
Thursday, July 9
Friday, July 10
Monday, July 13
