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 20.
7 p.m. | It's official: Students in all three of Johnson County, Kansas' big school districts won't return to the classroom until at least Sept. 8.
On Thursday night, the Olathe School District voted to delay the start of school until at least Sept. 8. The district joins Shawnee Mission, Blue Valley and the Kansas City, Kansas, School District in announcing delays to school.
The individual district votes were made necessarily following a decision by the Kansas Board of Education Wednesday not to uphold Gov. Laura Kelly's executive order delaying the start of school state wide until after Labor Day.
We've been compiling school district return-to-school plans. You can read the latest update on our school resource page.
6:53 p.m. | It's not just Kansas City Public Schools. Many districts in Missouri are waiting for guidance from local health departments and may consider starting the 2020-21 school year virtually.
6:47 p.m. | Educators offer advice for at-home learning as the reopening of schools next month remains uncertain amid a COVID-19 surge.
6:39 p.m. | The Johnson County Department of Health and Environment will conduct an appointment-only drive-thru COVID-19 screening Friday at Shawnee Mission Northwest for individuals 12 and older who live or work in the county.
The event, which will take place at 7401 Johnson Drive, runs from 8 to 11 a.m. A parent must be present and provide verbal consent for children ages 12 to 15.
6:27 p.m. | The Kansas State Board of Education has called a special meeting at 10 a.m. on Wednesday to discuss Gov. Laura Kelly’s executive order to delay the start of the 2020-21 school year until after Labor Day.
The meeting, which will take place by video conference, will only address Executive Order 20-58 and public comments, which can be submitted online, will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
5:23 p.m. | Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly provided more details on state-mandated safety precautions are schools prepare to reopen.
4:37 p.m. | Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said his comments on a radio station earlier this week about children getting COVID-19 upon returning to school were taken out of context.
3:31 p.m. | Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft announced Monday that the Missouri State Library has awarded nearly $1 million in grants to 60 libraries to beef up health and safety protocols amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The grants were funded with $554,569 from the federal CARES Act and $432,800 from the Library Services and Technology Act.
Several local library systems will benefit from the money:
- The Kansas City Public Library received $50,000 for its CARES Connect program, which which will help set up four mobile device labs for use in the community;
- Mid-Continent Public Library received $49,782 to install wireless access at every branch and improve internet accessibility to library resources;
- The Cass County Library received $18,787 to replace aging routers and extend the WiFi range at its libraries. Money also will be used to implement self-checkout and buy laptops available to patrons for checkout;
- Ray County Library ($1,605), St. Joseph Public Library ($16,051) and Sedalia Public Library ($6,564) each received money for a hot-spot program.
3:17 p.m. | After reporting late to camp following a positive test for COVID-19, Kansas CityRoyals right-hander Jakob Junis will start 2020 on the injured list. He is 27-29 with 77 starts for the Royals during the last three seasons.
3:10 p.m. | A Savannah R3 School District student-athlete has tested positive for COVID-19, prompting the district to cancel all summer workouts Monday.
Boys’ basketball practices are canceled through July 29 and any players who attended an open gym on July 15 are asked to quarantine due to possible coronavirus exposure.
Some football players who had contact during small group workouts also have been contacted by Andrew County health officials.
12:54 p.m. | Kansas set a new record for the most COVID-19 cases recorded in a day with 1,116 reported on Monday, which eclipses the old record of 1,080 set last Monday.
It is the second time more than 1,000 new cases have been added in a single day. There also were three additional deaths reported by local health departments, raising the state total to 310 people who’ve died since the start of the pandemic.
41 Action News analysis of local health department reports showed 165 new cases reported over the weekend.
11:58 a.m. | The 35th Brookside Art Annual in Kansas City, Missouri, has been canceled.
Originally scheduled for early May, organizers moved the event to September amid citywide stay-at-home orders, but it has now been canceled for 2020 with COVID-19 cases continuing to rise in the Kansas City region.
Travel schedules for artists and the prevalence of “many at-risk demographics” at the event promoted the decision, which was announced Monday by the Brookside Business Association and Brookside Community Improvement District.
Those interested in supporting artists from the Brookside event may do so online.
11:18 a.m. | Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas said he won’t go to City Hall or engage in “other public activities” until he tests negative COVID-19 after he took a group picture Saturday without a mask and without social distancing at the Lake of the Ozarks.
9:36 a.m. | Kansas City Public Schools have been advised not to have in-person classes to start the 2020-21 academic year.
8:50 a.m. | University of Kansas Health System officials gave their daily COVID-19 update. The system currently has 36 COVID-19 patients with 10 in the ICU and six on ventilators.
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. | Missouri continued to report surging cases of COVID-19. New cases reported over the weekend brought the state total to 35,218.
The number of deaths also increased to 1,165.
5 a.m. | Three employees at the Seward County Health Department tested positive for COVID-19, prompting the facility to temporarily close its doors awaiting test results for all staff members.
Employees who tested negative will be allowed to return Monday after the building has been thoroughly cleaned.
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
Tuesday, July 14
Wednesday, July 15
Thursday, July 16
Friday, July 17
